


Broken Mirror

by SMB814



Series: Whatever Will Be [8]
Category: Tales of Symphonia
Genre: Angst, Character Study, Drama, F/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-03-10
Updated: 2014-03-10
Packaged: 2018-01-15 07:15:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 143,363
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1296172
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SMB814/pseuds/SMB814
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sequel/alternate universe story to the "Whatever Will Be" series, but it can stand alone. If Sheena had known what her wish would unveil—a beautiful, coveted mirror that had been broken beyond repair years before by a single thoughtless decision—she might have thought twice about making it.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue: The Wish Tag

**Author's Note:**

> **Rating** : T for Zelos being Zelos (i.e. mild language, adult themes, etc.) This story also has a bit of non-graphic sexual content...thanks so much for that, Zelos.
> 
>  **Pairing:** Zelos/Sheena, plus references to Lloyd/Colette, Zelos/other, and Sheena/other.
> 
>  **Time Frame/Spoilers:** Sequel/alternate universe to the _Whatever Will Be_ series—although I'm pretty sure this story can stand alone. In other words, you don't _need_ to read that series in order to understand this story; I've tried to make it so everything you need to know about the series has been explained here. However, just keep in mind that, despite my best efforts, it's likely that parts of _Broken Mirror_ will make much more sense if you have already read the series. Also, I can tell you that if you haven't read the other stories before reading this one, you _will_ be completely spoiled for them. I recommend reading the others first, but it's really up to you. (The seven stories in the main series are, in order, _Mental Holiday_ , _Trust Building 101_ , _Exceptions to the Rules_ , _Crossing the Line_ , _The Experiment_ , _Guardian Knight_ , and _Worth It_.)
> 
>  **Summary:** If Sheena had known what her wish would unveil—a beautiful, coveted mirror that had been broken beyond repair years before by a single thoughtless decision—she might have thought twice about making it.
> 
>  **Disclaimer:** Alas, Tales of Symphonia and all its lovely characters don't belong to me. They belong to Namco-Bandai Games. I'm just borrowing them and not making any money off them, and I promise I'll return them unharmed (and probably happier than they ever were before) when I'm done playing with them. Any characters you don't recognize from the game belong to me.
> 
>  **Feedback** : Feedback is love and fodder for future fics.
> 
>  **History:** General plotting began late 2011. Detailed plotting notes completed November 6, 2013. Rough draft completed January 7, 2014. Final version completed March 10, 2014.
> 
>  **Author's Notes:** Huge love, hugs, and thanks to every single person who took the time to read the _Whatever Will Be_ series, favorite it, and/or leave such incredible feedback on it. I likely never would have written this story if not for all of you; the ideas would have remained safely locked up in my head, never to see the light of day. There is nothing more encouraging for a writer than knowing even one reader has enjoyed something you spent so much time and effort putting down into writing. Truly, thank you all so much. You have no idea how much it means to me. Here's hoping you'll find this story to be a worthy addition to the series!
> 
> I had hoped to post this story by the time Tales of Symphonia Chronicles came out to celebrate the PS3 re-release of what is probably my favorite video game of all time, but I missed it by a few days. Whoops! Real life can be a painful, irritating distraction sometimes. I hope all the new players to the game come to love it—and especially its characters and universe—as much as I did when I first played it back in 2008. And always keep in mind that Zelos Wilder is NOT the man he looks like on first glance. Take the time to really get to know the guy and you might just find yourself writing hundreds of pages of fanfiction to analyze him like I did.
> 
> This story is loosely inspired by the massive plot twist that was introduced at the beginning of Season 4 of the TV show _Eureka_. Poor Jo and Zane. Those two and their 'might-have-been' completely broke my heart. At least they worked everything out in the end!
> 
> For anyone interested in single-page versions of this story or the other stories in the series, they're available at my website, which is linked from my main AO3 page.
> 
> Not betaed, so any mistakes or typos you find are entirely my fault.
> 
> I think that's it. I hope you all enjoy the ride!

**Prologue: The Wish Tag**

It was finally finished. After days of wracking her brain trying to figure out how best to do this, how to get the design, the wording, all of it, perfect...it was finally finished. She hadn't slept well in days, her mind constantly mulling over every possible aspect of it; her daily duties had been neglected because of her focus on getting this right. Of course, she kept telling herself, if it worked, then those neglected duties wouldn't matter in the grand scheme of things. This was, after all, far more important than that.

For a moment, she just stared at it. Would it really work? Could it really fix all of her problems? Or was it a hopeless cause—was _she_ a hopeless cause—and nothing would come of it? She shook her head. No, she couldn't think like that; she had to stay positive. It _would_ work. With all the love and prayers she had poured into it, it _had_ to work. She had to have faith that it would, because if it didn't...she couldn't even think about the repercussions that would result for _all_ of her people, not just herself, because of her failure. As hard as it had been to admit that she couldn't keep going like this alone anymore, that she needed outside help getting her life back on course, the desperation and despair had finally worn down her pride. Now here she was, with the result in hand. She had finally reached the point of asking for help.

Her hopes and dreams for the future hung on this simple piece of wood. But now that it was finished, all she could do was be patient and have faith that someone was listening, someone with the power to change things and send her what she needed most. And with that, she took a deep breath, placed the precious offering on the shrine in the corner of her living room where it would be impossible for any higher being to miss, and, realizing how late it was, turned and headed to bed.

If she was lucky, and if the gods cared about her even a little, then everything in her life would be different come morning.

She couldn't wait.

0~*~0


	2. Day 1, Part 1: The Answer

**Day 1, Part 1: The Answer**

Sheena couldn't remember the last time she had felt this warm, this comfortable, this _safe_ , and with it came two surprising, unexpected emotions that had long since eluded her: optimism and hope. She could've sworn there were strong arms wrapped around her, encompassing her, shielding her from all of the dangers and sorrows awaiting her outside her bedroom door. She released a low, contented sigh and sank further into the overwhelming warmth and sense of security, her mind drifting blissfully in and out of consciousness, feeling irresistibly relaxed and at peace. It was such a far cry from how she had felt since...well, she wasn't sure she had _ever_ felt like this before. It was a wonderful feeling. It was a feeling she wanted to hold onto as long as she possibly could.

Her first clue that something was wrong was when the warmth behind her moaned softly, although she initially wrote the sound off as a product of her imagination. Her second clue was when she felt the nonexistent arm draped over her waist tighten its grasp on her; that clue was harder to dismiss, and her mind immediately began its ascent back to alertness. Her third clue was the phantom kiss she felt pressed to the back of her neck. What woke her fully, though, was a male voice—a _familiar_ male voice—whispering in her ear, saying that if she was game, it was early enough that they could squeeze in a slow, lazy round of lovemaking before the day got started.

She had been able to write off the first three oddities as a pleasant dream. But at that point, she couldn't ignore the fact that the physical sensations she was experiencing were real, as was the voice she'd just heard. For the first time in nearly six years, she wasn't alone in her bed.

_...There was someone else in bed with her._

The instant that thought registered, her eyes flew open and she squealed, extracted herself from the heavy arm holding her down, and jumped out of bed, her heart pounding wildly, pulling the blankets with her and holding them up to cover herself, gaping at the sight before her.

There was a man lying in her bed—a man who was apparently just as alarmed by her sudden scream and extraction from his arms as she was to find him there, judging from how his eyes likewise flew open and he jumped to his feet, rubbing at his face as he struggled to fully wake up.

"What?" he asked, peering at her through his fingers. "What, what, what? Sheena, what's wrong?"

For a moment, all she could do was gape at him, her lips parted and her eyes wide, but in an instant, fury replaced all confusion and shock. Not only was there a man in her bed, _but she recognized who the man was._ And more than that, _he had absolutely no right to be_ _ **touching**_ _her, let alone_ _ **climbing into bed with her**_. " _Zelos?!_ "

"Yeah...?" he replied, lowering his hand from his face. "Exactly who were you expecting?"

She couldn't believe it. _She could not believe it._ _Zelos Wilder had been in bed with her_. Of all the things to wake up and find, this was the absolute _last_ one she had expected. This was either the worst nightmare she had ever experienced...or the man was still the world's most perverted idiot and would, therefore, soon be officially, permanently dead, and she would feel no regret or remorse for having caused it. "You _bastard!"_ she finally screamed at him. " _Get out_! Get the hell out of my bed, out of my house!"

"Whoa, whoa, what?"

She stepped forward, overwhelmed by blinding rage. "How _dare_ you! What in Jizou's name do you think you're doing here?!" And then she was on him, punching him, shoving him, and inflicting as much pain on him as she possibly could.

"Sheena, what the hell are you doing? Hey, ow! Stop it!" He tried to grab her hands, but she refused to be stopped. This was a complete outrage; _he did not belong anywhere near her, let alone in her bed with her._ No, this jackass deserved every single bruise she could inflict on him—and if it got him the hell out of her house and back out of her life sooner, then that was even better. "Sheena, calm down! What's gotten into you this morning?! It's me!"

"What do you _think_ has gotten into me?!" she shouted at him. "I haven't seen you in _nearly six years_ , and then one morning you suddenly show up here, in my house, _in my bed?!"_ She gave him another shove, nearly shaking with her fury. "Get _out_ , Zelos! I always knew you were a jerk and an idiot and a sick, selfish, perverted, arrogant, stuck-up son of a bitch, but to do this, to just walk into my house and...and... _climb into bed with me_ , and then _hold me like that_..." She shoved him again, hard, pushing him back into her dresser, resulting in a dull thud as his bare back collided with the wood and a rattle as the mirror shook under the impact.

His face twisted into an expression of pure confusion. "Are you _serious_? _Of course_ I climbed into bed with you!" He motioned at the futon on the floor. "This is _my_ bed, too, thank you very much!"

His bed? _His bed?!_ She was incredulous—and utterly livid. "Are you out of your idiotic little mind? _Your bed?!_ You're insane!"

" _I'm_ insane?! Sheena, what about _you_? What the hell has gotten into you this morning?! I'm your _husband!_ _Of course_ this is my house and my bed, and _of course_ I would hold you at night while we're sleeping! I wouldn't be much of a husband if I didn't, don't you think?"

" _Husband_ ," she repeated, spitting out the word like it was the most disgusting thing she'd ever tasted. "Great Jizou, you really _have_ lost your mind, haven't you?"

" _I've_ lost _my_ mind? Sweetheart, what about _you_? Why are you suddenly screaming at me and hitting me this morning?" He rubbed his jaw. "And for the record, that first smack really hurt! If you didn't feel like having sex right now, that's fine; just _tell_ me, don't _smack_ me! Man, that's really gonna leave a bruise..."

"Good, it was _supposed_ to!"

His eyes narrowed as he resumed gaping at her, and in the back of her mind a voice was trying to point out that he looked every bit as confused about this as she felt, which didn't make any sense to her, but she chose to ignore it, focusing instead on the fact that _he was still in her house_. After a moment, he shook his head and motioned at her. "C'mon, everything was fine when we went to bed last night! What's going on here?"

"When _we_ went to bed last night?" She let out a crazed, hysterical laugh. "What, are you _drunk_? Or did you just finally lose the last of your screws? I went to bed _alone_ last night, Zelos; _you were_ _nowhere to be seen_. And trust me, even if you _had_ been hanging around, I would've rather _shoved you in the garbage disposal where you belong rather than invite you into bed with me_!"

He stared at her again, but then he took a deep breath and lifted his hands in an obvious effort to calm her. "All right, Sheena, stop. Let's discuss this like rational adults. Seriously, what's going on here? Nothing out of the ordinary happened last night; everything was exactly as it usually is—as it's _supposed_ to be. So what's gotten into you this morning? Did you have a nightmare or something?"

He still didn't get it, did he? How could one man be so totally and completely _dense_? "What's gotten into me? _What's gotten into me?! You're trespassing in my house, Zelos! You and your perverted, despicable fantasies have led you to break into my house and climb into bed with me!_ You don't see _anything_ wrong with that?!"

"Sheena, _you're my wife_ ," he retorted, more forcefully that time. " _I'm your husband._ I belong here just as much as you do because _it's my house, too._ And any perverted fantasies I have about you—which, granted, are plenty—are completely legitimate because, oh, _we've been married over five years now_. Remember that?"

As if _she_ would ever marry _him_! "You really have lost your mind, haven't you? Well, then let me remind you, in no uncertain terms: _I can't stand you or the sight of you, and I distinctly remember telling you the last time we talked that I never wanted to see you again. None of that has changed since then."_ That voice of reason in her mind tried to point out that he looked stunned and confused by her words—and, more than that, _hurt,_ of all things—but she refused to dwell on that and instead plowed on, "If you value your life at all, then _get the hell out of my house, Zelos, before I kill you in the slowest, most painful way I can think of! Get out!_ " To emphasize that, Sheena shoved him again, that time toward the door.

But still he shook his head, refusing to give in. "Sheena, calm down! Stop!" He lifted his hands defensively as she came after him again, forcing him further backwards, and that time he did manage to grab her hands and hold them tightly, almost painfully, to prevent her from moving any further. " _Ayame, stop it!_ "

Instantly, Sheena froze, then she abruptly pulled her hands from his and took a step backwards, feeling as if he'd just slapped her. For a moment all she could do was gape at him, her eyes wide, her heart pounding. "...What did you just call me?"

He blinked once, then twice. "What, you mean by your _name_?"

"You don't know my real name," she whispered. He had called her _Ayame_. This made _no sense_ whatsoever. "You _can't_ know my real name."

"...Ah, obviously I do?"

No. That was _impossible_. Zelos...he _couldn't_ know that. "I never told you that! How do you know that?!"

"Yes, you _did_ tell me, the night after we got married! Your real name is Ayame Takara! We were standing right over there—" He pointed at the living room, but his face quickly grew puzzled, as if his brain was having trouble fitting together all of the pieces in front of him.

But again Sheena ignored that weird look; she was too busy trying to figure out how the hell he knew her real name. "I never married you, and I _certainly_ never told you _that_ ," she said, more softly that time.

Zelos shook his head and looked back at her, his perplexed expression vanishing in favor of desperation. "Yes, Sheena, you did! See, proof!" Lifting his left hand, he took off his wedding ring— _wait, when did this idiot get married?_ —and held it up in front of her face. "Read it!" She gaped at him again, hesitating, but he grabbed her hand and placed the ring in it. " _Read it_." She swallowed hard, then walked over to her window and, in the faint light streaming in from the approaching dawn, looked at the ring, located the inscription inside it, and did as instructed.

" _Forever Yours, Ayame Takara_ ," she read aloud softly, unable to believe what she was seeing.

"Remember that?" he went on. "Ayame Takara. It means ' _Iris Treasure_.' Your grandfather named you that after he found you in the forest while admiring a wild iris."

She was starting to feel lightheaded and nauseous as he snatched the ring back from her, as if afraid she would try to steal it. "I never gave you that ring," she whispered, then looked up at him, meeting his eyes. "I never _told_ you that!"

"Yes, you did! How else could I have this? How else could I _know_ that unless you'd told me?" Sheena didn't answer, fear beginning to creep over her. This made no sense. How could he possibly know that? She hadn't given him that ring; she would've remembered if she had! Or... _had_ she and she just didn't remember it? Zelos's brows furrowed in concern, his voice lowering to a horrified whisper, clearly wondering the same. "You really don't remember, do you?"

...No. _No_. She shook her head sharply. She remembered every godawful thing that had happened the past few years, and not a single bit of it had involved _Zelos Wilder_. Of that, she was absolutely certain. "I can't remember something if it never happened!" He groaned in frustration, then looked around her room again as if the answer was hiding there somewhere. But the fear building within her was too alarming, too paralyzing, to currently deal with, and so instead she fell back on the most comfortable emotion for her: anger. "Seriously, Zelos, just quit joking about this already!"

"I'm not _joking_ about this, Sheena!"

"This isn't funny anymore!"

" _No, you're right, it isn't!"_

They fell quiet, the only sound in the room their heavy breathing, looking at each other intently. Sheena gritted her teeth and gave him her best glare...which she expected wasn't as effective as usual seeing as fear had already begun overwhelming her anger. "I'm only going to say this one last time, Zelos. _Get out of my house_."

But he no longer seemed to hear her. Instead, he was looking around the room, his eyes narrowed, his gaze intense. "Something is seriously wrong here," he mumbled, more to himself than to her. "This is...this is our _first_ house." His eyes snapped back to her. "And you..." His gaze fell to her waist, but then, in a move that left her stunned, his eyes not only widened, but Zelos suddenly fumbled at the dresser, grabbed the pair of scissors sitting atop it, and brandished it at her, his face alight with fire and fear and his tone shifting from confused to demanding and angry. "Who are you? What did you do with Sheena?"

...Say what? Sheena blinked at him, taken aback by his abrupt change in demeanor. "What are you talking about? I _am_ Sheena."

"No, you're not. You may look like her, but you _aren't_ her."

What the _hell_? How could he look at her and yet say, with such certainty, that she wasn't herself? She didn't even look any different than she had the last time she'd seen him! "Yes, I am!"

He shook his head. " _No, you're not_. You aren't my wife, and this isn't my home." He paused, his eyes widening again. " _Oh, Jizou_." The hand pointing the scissors at her trembled and he lowered it. Next she knew, he was running out of her bedroom and heading toward her storage room...how the hell had he even known she _had_ another room when he'd never even been in her home before this?

She followed him into the room, just to make sure he didn't try anything weird. "Zelos, what do you think you're _doing_?"

Before she could process what was happening, though, he whipped back toward her and pointed the scissors at her again, his face not only frighteningly furious, but downright _scared_. "What did you do with them? If you so much as laid a _finger_ on my family, I swear, I _will_ kill you, no matter _who_ you look like."

Egads, this was making _no sense whatsoever._ Not to mention _he_ _still wasn't leaving!_ "Zelos, seriously, what are you _talking_ about? Since when do you have a family? And even if you did have one, why would I hurt them?"

"These mind games won't work with me. Just tell me what you want from me. Is it my money? Are you planning on blackmailing me or holding them hostage to get my fortune? Are you one of those damn hunnies who keeps following me around, fantasizing you're my wife and thinking you'll conjure up some magic and step into her shoes—in which case, you did a horrible job of it because this isn't my home anymore and you aren't... _you aren't_..." He motioned at her stomach and shook his head. "Or are you just trying to make me lose my mind? What's the deal?"

Her lips parted, and she stared at him blankly. "Zelos, I keep telling you, the only thing I want from you is for you to _leave_!"

"Not until I find out what you've done, why I'm here, and where they are!"

"I haven't done anything! You're the one who suddenly showed up this morning in _my_ bed! You weren't here last night!"

His eyes narrowed sharply. "Then how did I get here? What did you do?"

"Nothing!"

"I don't believe that. I didn't do anything different last night, and I know Sheena didn't either, so it had to have been _you_ , whoever the hell you are. Now _what did you do?"_

Sheena opened her mouth to reply...and abruptly stopped as the answer hit her like a ton of bricks. She suddenly felt very, very faint and nauseous. "Oh, Jizou."

Zelos lifted the scissors at her again. " _What did you do_?"

"It...it can't be," she whispered. "That's impossible."

"What?" he countered. " _What_?"

"This _can't_ be connected."

"Damn it, Sheena, _what_ can't be connected?!"

She lifted her eyes to his, alarmed by the pure confusion and desperation she saw written there that matched how she felt exactly. It had to be the cause of all of this—she'd only just finished it last night!—but she had no idea how _this_ , a half-naked Zelos Wilder( _with surprisingly short hair_ , she finally noted)was supposed to be an answer to all of her problems, especially when it was obvious he had no more idea of what was going on than she did. One thing was clear, though: she needed more information. There was only one thing she could do, only one possible place to go. Spinning on her heels, Sheena raced into her bedroom and started grabbing her clothes from the dresser, sliding them on, then she hurried back into the living room.

Zelos moved into the doorway to her storage room, the scissors still in hand, staring at her as if she had lost her mind. "Hey! Don't even think about leaving until you've given me some answers!"

She would give him answers if she could, but she didn't have any yet to give. Ignoring him, she rushed to the shrine in the corner. "What did you do?" she shouted at it. "Answer me! This isn't what I asked for!" As expected, there was no response, nor was there any change to either the shrine or the offering. " _Damn it_."

Grabbing the little piece of wood off the shrine, she hurried to the door, slipped on her shoes, and threw it open. "Hey!" Zelos called after her, and from the corner of her eye she saw him set the scissors atop a cabinet shelf and begin following her. "Where are you going?! Sheena, stop!"

Sheena didn't answer him. She raced out of her house and into the nearby forest. If the shrine wouldn't give her any answers, then she had to try the one other place connected with it. A minute later she reached the river. "Where are you?!" she shouted at it, and while she was sure talking to a river looked stupid, she really didn't care. "Show yourself! I didn't ask for this, _and you know it_!" Still there came no response. "I'm not giving up until you've explained how _this_ happened, how _he_ came to be here, and how he _knows_ things he can't possibly know!"

She could hear Zelos behind her, cursing softly and muttering in pain—why, she wasn't quite sure, nor did she particularly care—but she ignored him again and continued staring at the river. And then there, suddenly, he was, floating above the gently flowing water: Verius. Her eyes widened—she'd been expecting _Jizou_ , not her reincarnated friend-slash-transformed summon spirit—but before she could consider that, he bowed his head to her. "Sheena. Chosen One Zelos."

"Verius!" both she and Zelos said simultaneously. From the corner of her eye, she saw Zelos abruptly stop beside her, still dressed in only a pair of boxer shorts and a light sheet he had apparently grabbed from her bed before following her here. His feet were bare...oh, that was probably why he'd cursed before: from walking through the forest without shoes.

"It is very good to see you both again."

Wait...what did this mean? Why was Verius here? Did that mean _he_ was responsible for the mess she'd awoken to this morning? "Verius, what's going on?" She was impressed at how calm her voice sounded compared to how she felt. "Are you the one who did this?"

"I am."

... _He_ did this? _Really_? "This is a joke, isn't it?"

"This is not a joke, Sheena," he replied. "I am simply doing as you asked."

" _Doing as I asked?!"_ Had he lost his mind in the years since he'd become a summon spirit?! "No, you aren't! You sent me _him_!" She motioned incredulously at Zelos. " _He_ definitely isn't what I asked for!"

Verius, to her amazement, gave her a pointed look, clearly not impressed by her tone. "Actually, Sheena, he is exactly what you asked for."

Beside her, Zelos suddenly shook his head. "Whoa, everyone back up a sec. What are you two talking about? What did you ask for?" He turned from Sheena to Verius when she didn't answer him. "And whatever it is, why do you think I'm it?"

Verius fixed her with a pointed look. "Would you care to explain this to him, Sheena?"

Explain this? To _him_?He was _kidding_ , right? She could feel her face grow warm and she refused to look at Zelos as she shook her head. "No, I wouldn't, because I refuse to be held responsible for _this._ I mean, he is the _last_ thing in the world I _ever_ would've wished for!"

With a low, disappointed sigh, Verius turned to Zelos. "Last night, Sheena completed a wish tag."

That seemed to take him aback. "...A wish tag?"

"Yes, a wish tag."

He stared at Verius a moment, his eyes narrowing. "What...?"

This blasted summon spirit was determined to tell Zelos about her _very private, very personal_ wish tag, wasn't he? Well, then, she could at least control _some_ of the information he received. She folded her arms to her chest, continuing to glare at Verius. "A wish tag is something we make in Mizuho to—"

"I _know_ what a wish tag is, thank you very much," Zelos snapped at her. "I'm trying to figure out why you made one and what you could've possibly wished for that caused _this_ to happen." Her blush deepened, but he ignored that and turned back to Verius. "So what are you saying, Verius? That Sheena is so unhappy with me and with our life together that she wished for a different one, one without me in it, hence her missing memories of the last few years?"

Verius shook his head. "On the contrary, Chosen. This woman is not your Sheena, and this world is not your own."

That got her attention. "What?" they both said, once again in unison.

"You are in an alternate world, one that was identical to your own to a point but that then, in an instant, changed radically. A single incident played out very differently in your world than it did here—an incident which, as a result, had profound changes on the states of your universes. That single choice resulted in the creation of this 'alternate' world." Verius tilted his head slightly. "This world is, I suppose you could say, a 'What if?' scenario to the world in which you live, Chosen."

Zelos lifted his hand, blinking at Verius several times. "Okay, let me get this straight. You're saying I'm in a _different world_?"

"A different, mirror universe, that is correct. It is similar to your own, and yet, because of that one altered moment, it is becoming increasingly different the farther in time you move from that event. I am certain you have already begun to see the vast differences between your worlds."

"An alternate world resulting from a different choice..." Zelos murmured. "So what 'single incident' happened differently here that changed everything?"

"Roughly seven years ago, you and your friends attended a party hosted by the king to celebrate the reunion of the two worlds."

"Right...?" he prompted. "That was one of the best nights of my life. It changed everything for me...for us."

Verius bowed his head. "I am well aware of that. Here, however, that night played out very differently." He turned to Sheena. "Sheena, do you remember the night of which we speak?"

She shrugged, still trying to wrap her head around this 'mirror universe' concept. That had been a long time ago—as Verius had said, nearly seven years ago—and had been nothing spectacular, but she never forgot the few Meltokio parties she'd attended because of how different they were from the norm for her. "I guess. It was nothing special, just another boring, typical, over-the-top Meltokio party." Wait, what had Zelos been saying about that night being 'one of the best nights of his life'? She looked sharply at him. "What do _you_ think happened that night?"

To her amazement, his eyes softened in a way she had never seen before. "You and I spent the night out on a balcony, talking...and soon after that we started dating." His eyes suddenly narrowed. "What do _you_ think happened that night?"

"Started _dating?_ " she replied with an incredulous laugh. " _You?!_ Not a chance! Yeah, I remember finding you out on that balcony that night, and we talked for a few minutes, but you made some idiotic, perverted joke like you always do, and I got pissed at you, gave up on ever getting anything real out of you, and left."

"...Oh," he replied, his face falling. "So did you two _ever_ date here? You and...y'know, _me_?"

 _Her_? Date _Zelos Wilder_? She scoffed. "Are you _kidding_? You are the _last_ person I would _ever_ consider dating!"

He smirked and lifted his hand, the early morning light catching on his wedding ring and making it shine. "Obviously not, if you gave me _this._ "

Her face flared again as she motioned derisively at it. " _I_ never gave you that!"

Instantly his smirk faded, and next she knew he was looking at her with an expression of surprising thoughtfulness and somberness. "No, I guess you didn't here, did you?" Zelos cleared his throat and looked back at Verius. "Okay, so that explains that...I think. That night happened differently here than it did in my world, resulting in a world where we apparently never got together like we did in mine. But what it _doesn't_ explain is why I'm here _now_ , in this world that clearly isn't my own, so let's go back to my original question. You said she made a wish tag. What did she wish for?" Instead of answering that, Verius looked expectantly at Sheena, and a moment later Zelos was looking at her, too. "Sheena? What did you wish for?"

...Damn it. She could tell her face was bright red again, embarrassingly enough. And there was no way she could possibly answer that question. Her wish had been far too personal and... _desperate_ ; she refused to share something like that with _anyone_ , and especially not with a _Zelos Wilder_ who was clearly delusional and was convinced they were _married._

"Will you tell him, Sheena?" Verius gently prodded.

She shook her head and looked away from them both, folding her arms to her chest. "Absolutely not. I would rather swallow a thousand needles."

He sighed softly. "Then I apologize, but if you will not tell him, I must. She wished for happiness, Chosen. She wished for love and companionship."

Damn it, why couldn't he just keep his mouth shut? That was _her_ wish, and it was definitely none of _Zelos Wilder's_ business to know! She gave Verius the most scathing look she could manage, although the heat in her face from her blush indicated it probably wasn't as effective as she'd hoped.

Zelos's eyes narrowed and he blinked a few times, thinking that over. "And so, in answer to her wish, you sent her... _me_?"

"This isn't what I meant, Verius, and you know it," she snapped. "I would never, _never_ have wished for _him_! I feel nothing for this man but the deepest disgust and contempt!"

"Sheena, I am a summon spirit of the heart, and before that, I was your friend, Corrine," Verius calmly replied. "You told me many things back then, and one of them was about your feelings for this man, the 'crush' you once had on him."

Agh, he did _not_ just say that! As glad as she was to see Verius again after all this time—and the mention of Corrine, as it always did, still made her stomach lurch in sadness and regret—she really wasn't appreciating his insistence on sharing so much embarrassing, personal information with the idiotic, nearly naked man standing beside her who apparently believed she would date and _marry_ him. "I...I did not! I never had a crush on him! Lloyd, yes, I'll admit to that one, but _him_? I would _never_ have a thing for an idiot like _him!_ "

Verius gave her an unamused look. "Sheena, do not lie to me, to yourself, or to him. You did have budding feelings for him once, many, many years ago."

"No, I didn't!"

"Yes, you did. Even Chosen One Zelos knows that."

The red-haired idiot had the gall to shrug innocently. "Yeah, I do. You—or at least _my_ version of you—told me that yourself a few years ago. Granted, I wrecked it back then by pushing you away and trying to make you hate me, but that doesn't erase the fact that you did once have a crush on me." Sheena blinked at him, her eyes narrowing, not sure what he'd meant by 'pushing you away' and 'trying to make you hate me,' but her embarrassment silenced her tongue and he continued before she could respond. "You aren't telling me anything I don't already know."

Agh. That was _not_ what she'd wanted to hear. And she _really_ didn't want to know how red her face was right then. "Okay, _fine_ , so I might have had a very minor schoolgirl crush on him once, but that was over a long time ago. Drudging something like that up now after all this time and after everything that's happened since then is definitely _not_ how I'd wanted my wish to be answered, Verius!"

"While it is true that you were the one who made the wish, Sheena, that does not mean you get to choose how it is answered," Verius reminded her, his voice a mixture of gentleness and sternness, as if he were speaking to a petulant yet dearly loved child. "How I answer it is _my_ choice, as the one gracious enough to have heard your wish and decided to grant it."

...Oh. Damn it. She hesitated, embarrassed to realize he had a point— _beggars can't be choosers, after all_ , the voice of reason pointed out to her—but instead of letting that uncomfortable emotion linger within her, she again latched onto her fury and incredulousness and motioned at Zelos. "I realize that, Verius, but _him? Seriously_?! He keeps insisting we're _married_!"

"And in his world, you are."

Sheena took a step backwards, unable to believe her ears. " _What_?! We...we _are_?"

"Yes, you are. He did not lie to you about that."

 _She_ married _Zelos Wilder_ in another universe? What, had that other version of her _completely lost her mind_? No, that couldn't be it, because even then, doing something so crazy would never be even remotely on her radar. "That...that's _impossible!_ I don't care which world we're talking about, I would never, ever, in a million years, marry _him!_ "

Verius frowned. "And yet an alternate version of you _did_ marry him, Sheena. You saw his ring, did you not?"

She shook her head. No. She couldn't even begin to wrap her head around such a thought, that _she would willingly choose to marry an idiot like him,_ and so she refused to even try. All trying would do was give her a migraine. Instead, she focused on another aspect of this that made absolutely no sense. "So, wait. Even discounting the whole 'this is _Zelos_ we're talking about' thing, which is something I can't even begin to comprehend in and of itself, are you saying you chose to answer my wish by sending me a man who's already _married_? You take him from his wife, whoever she might be—because I _refuse_ to believe it's me—and bring him _here_ in answer to my wish?"

"Okay, as much as I wish Sheena would quit talking about me like I'm not standing right here, and as completely bizarre as this entire situation is, I have to agree with her on that one," Zelos said. "I already have a wife, and I'm definitely not in the market for a new one. I'm not dropping everything I've built for myself in my world to suddenly be _this_ woman's companion, even if she _is_ her..." he looked at her and pulled a face, "...kinda."

Verius shook his head. "Rest assured, Chosen, I do not expect you to do so. That was not my purpose behind bringing you here. Rather, I brought you here to open her eyes, to help her understand herself and see what is available in front of her that she is currently incapable of seeing for herself. I brought you here to show her another option."

Zelos's eyes narrowed further. "Wait...are you saying you want me to hook her up with this world's version of _me_?"

She couldn't restrain the derisive laugh that burst out of her as she folded her arms to her chest. "Absolutely not. I refuse. Zelos Wilder is a world-class jerk who I'd sooner kill than ever see or speak to again."

"I did not say it had to be with the other you, Chosen," Verius replied, ignoring her. "It could be with anyone you believe has the capability to make her happy and offer her what she needs most—or, for that matter, it could be with no one. But no one alive, not in this world nor in any others, knows this woman as well as you do. In fact, I dare say you know her even better than she knows herself because you have seen sides to her that she has yet to witness within herself. _That_ is why I have brought you here: not to become her companion, nor even to find her a mate, but rather to help her realize that perhaps she is mistaken about what she seeks and that the answer is not so far out of reach as she believes it is."

For a moment, Zelos considered that silently, his lips tugging downward in a frown. "This is absolutely crazy. You know that, right?" Before Verius could respond, though, he suddenly shook his head and lifted his hands. "Hey, hold on a sec. What about my family? You're saying you expect me to...what? Stay here with this crazy broad and either play matchmaker for her until she's found a husband or play coach while she 'discovers her true self,' all the while neglecting my own wife? I'm flattered you think I'm capable of doing that, but I'm afraid I'm gonna have to be selfish and say no, send me home. I'd rather be with my family than here doing... _this_ , quite possibly indefinitely, knowing how stubborn Sheena can be."

Verius shook his head. "I would never take you away from your family for that long, Chosen One. I promise, this will not last beyond a single week, and then I will send you home."

He folded his arms to his chest again, watching Verius closely. "Is Sheena okay? _My_ Sheena, I mean?"

"Yes, she is well."

He visibly relaxed. "And Sophia? Is she all right?"

Sheena snorted. _Sophia_. "Big surprise there," she muttered.

Zelos's head snapped toward her, his eyes narrowing. "What? What about her?"

"Nothing." When he continued glaring at her, she rolled her eyes. "You _claim_ to be married to me, and yet you're asking how your _girlfriend_ is doing? Or is she your mistress? That's _exactly_ what I'd expect from you."

In an instant, his eyes grew cold, his face hardened, his lips pursed, and he looked back at Verius, to all appearances barely restraining his anger. "Verius, send me home. Now."

"Chosen..."

" _Now_ ," he demanded, then pointed at Sheena. "I am _not_ putting up with this. This woman isn't my wife, she doesn't know a _damn_ _thing_ about me, and I _refuse_ to stand here and let her keep insulting me like this when I could be at home with my family instead!"

Verius took an urgent, alarmed step forward, albeit still staying above the water. "Chosen One, please, wait." He looked sharply at Sheena. "Sheena, that was extremely rude. You should not say such things. The Chosen is correct; you do not know him, and as such, you are not qualified to make such assumptions about him, judge his character, and accuse him of something so disgraceful and vile as being unfaithful to his wife. Sophia is not his 'girlfriend' or his 'mistress.' She is his _daughter_."

Icy blue eyes snapped back to her. " _Our_ daughter."

Sheena felt like she'd had all the wind knocked out of her, like if someone so much as touched her, she would tip over. She could detect the first inklings of guilt and regret begin creeping through her. The anger radiating from him was intimidating...and, if he and Verius were right, it was justified. Zelos was a _father_? Had she...had she really just cruelly, thoughtlessly insulted an innocent man by assuming his _daughter_ was his _mistress_? And, worse, if these two _weren't_ lying about him being married to her in this alternate world—a thought her mind still recoiled from but that she had better start entertaining soon since all the signs were pointing to it being true, what with Verius backing it up like this—she hadn't just insulted _him_ and _his daughter_ , but she had insulted _her own daughter._ She was so shaken by her realizations that she found herself speechless, unable to think of how to reply.

She heard Zelos take a deep breath before turning back to Verius. "Look, Verius, I'm sure you had the best of intentions in bringing me here, but it's pretty damn obvious your plan won't work, not with her preconceived, apparently unshakable notions about me. Let's just leave it at this and call it a loss. I'm sure you can find another way to answer her wish, one that doesn't result in my becoming her physical and emotional punching bag again." He took a step toward the river, his voice growing pleading. "Please, just send me home and we can all forget this ever happened."

"Chosen One, please, hear me out," Verius quickly replied. "I have given this matter much thought since Sheena began constructing her wish tag several days ago, and I am convinced this is the most likely, effective method to achieve a desirable outcome for her. I do not expect you to leave your wife for her, nor even for you to be separated from your family for long. In fact, I promised your wife I would only keep you from her for a single week before I send you back to her."

Zelos's eyes narrowed again. "You talked to my Sheena?"

Verius bowed his head. "I did, immediately before I came here. I explained the situation to her, and she agreed to 'loan' you for this purpose for a short time."

The redhead's mouth dropped. "She _did_?"

"She did." He gave Zelos a pointed look. "She asked me to tell you that she trusts you."

"I'll never tire of hearing that," Zelos murmured, his face briefly softening, but a moment later it hardened again as he motioned at Sheena, who quickly looked away from them both again, still reeling from embarrassment and guilt and an inability to believe any of this was really happening. "Okay, I hate to break this to you, but you're naïve if you think I'll be able to help someone who doesn't want to be helped, like it's pretty obvious this woman doesn't."

"I do not believe that will be a problem," Verius replied. "I am certain that Sheena's refusal to accept your help and guidance will only be temporary. In fact, while it may not be obvious yet, her attitude toward you has already begun to shift, simply because you are obviously not the man she expected you to be, the Zelos Wilder she knows here."

"Well, _I'm_ definitely not convinced of that yet," Zelos muttered.

"You shall see."

He sighed. "Okay, fine, whatever. If you insist. But even then, why _me_? Why not pick some other universe's Zelos Wilder or another random guy she could live happily ever after with?"

"I think we both know it is not that simple, Chosen," Verius said. "Sheena can be difficult, stubborn, and intimidating toward the opposite sex when she is convinced of something."

"Yeah, no argument there," Zelos said with a snort. "But then, I'm sure she'd say the same about me."

"That is true." Verius took another step closer to them. "The truth is, Chosen One, that I chose you to do this because your Sheena is happy, not only with you as her husband, but with the life you two have built for yourselves. Because you, unlike me, are limited to witnessing solely one universe, you cannot possibly realize how rare such happiness is in her. As a summon spirit of the heart, I have seen many different Sheenas in many different universes, and of them all, your wife is the happiest, most content, and satisfied with her life."

Sheena peered back at them, floored by that statement—that _she_ was the happiest she'd ever been while married to _Zelos Wilder —_ in time to see Zelos's eyebrows fly upward. "She is?" he asked.

Verius bowed his head. "She is. I would not have brought you here if she were not."

"Huh. No, I suppose not." He cleared his throat. "And you're sure there's no other 'me' available who's qualified to do this instead?"

"Unfortunately, no. It is actually quite rare for you and Sheena to reach the point you two have in your world. In some realities, you are dead, having died at your friends' hands in the Tower of Salvation. In other realities you and Sheena attempted a relationship only for her to turn you away, fearing the same that your Sheena once did, that you would never be happy with her or with the life that came with her. In still other realities, you did not reach the point of acceptance with the Mizuhoan lifestyle that you did and you never asked her to marry you. In many other realities, like this one, you and Sheena never even attempted a relationship."

Zelos was silent a moment, continuing to stare at him. "So it's really that rare that we ended up together?"

"Yes, it is, unfortunately for you both. And yet the fact remains that the effort you and your wife have exerted these past few years to making your marriage work has resulted in an extremely satisfying life for you both."

The man blushed and rubbed at the back of his neck. "Heh. Wow. I mean, I know how happy _I_ am with _her_ , despite the occasional sticky moment where we both want to kill each other, and I wouldn't trade our life together for anything. I guess I never realized she felt the same."

"She does, Chosen," Verius assured him, smiling warmly. "Have no doubt about that."

Zelos considered that a moment, a soft, happy smile toying on his lips, but then suddenly he sighed. "And so you have to understand why I want to go back to her and Sophia instead of dealing with this crazy chick for the next week."

Verius bowed his head. "I do understand that. However, I am begging you, Chosen, please help her, if not for my sake, then for hers."

"I don't know this woman, Verius," he said, shaking his head. "She doesn't mean a damn thing to me. This morning is the first time I ever met her."

"And yet you _do_ know her, Chosen," Verius countered. "As such, I do not believe you capable of feeling for nothing for her. No, you are correct that this woman may not be your wife, but she _is_ the Sheena your wife would have become had that night nearly seven years ago occurred as it did in this world. In that respect, she _is_ actually your Sheena, and you _do_ know her as well as you know your wife. I know you love her and would do anything for her."

"Of course I do, and of course I would," Zelos admitted, his voice softening. "But even if this is my Sheena...kind of...I didn't marry this woman."

"No, you did not, but you would have had circumstances played out differently."

"...Maybe."

Zelos's lips pursed as he thought about that, and in the ensuing silence, Verius turned to Sheena...who felt like a shocked, horrified, confused bystander watching a murder happen right before her eyes, just listening to them talk about her, unsure how she felt about this. All she knew for certain was that she couldn't accept any of it. "Sheena, please show the Chosen your wish tag," he said.

The sudden shift in focus back to her caught her off guard, and she folded her arms to her chest and looked away again. "N...no," she said, her voice sounding pathetically weak. "I...I'd rather not."

"Sheena, everything the Chosen and I have discussed here is true," Verius gently prompted. "In his world, the two of you began dating soon after the king's reunification party. You were married a year later, and you have been together nearly six years now. You have a daughter together named Sophia. You are both overwhelmingly happy there. You may not know this man, but he knows you, he knows _Sheena Fujibayashi,_ and he loves her. Please, trust my judgment in choosing to answer your wish in this way. You may not yet understand my reasoning for it, but I assure you that you soon will." When she didn't—couldn't—respond, he went on. "Let him see your wish tag. You can trust him not to taunt you or tease you about it, as you expect from him. He is not the man you know or believe him to be, and I am certain you will soon recognize that. Please, Sheena."

Still she hesitated, but Verius continued watching her imploringly, and finally she sighed and pulled the wooden offering from her pocket. "Fine." And then, as an afterthought, she added under her breath, "It's not like he can read it anyway."

Zelos grinned wryly as he took it from her. "I've been living in Mizuho for years, sweetheart. I can read it, no matter how messy your handwriting may be at times."

Sheena swallowed hard, her blush reigniting as he looked down at it, his smile quickly fading. If he could read her people's language, then he definitely wouldn't have trouble reading this tag seeing as she'd written it as neatly as she could. Thankfully, he didn't read the words aloud—that would have just made this already humiliating situation a thousand times worse—but she could still hear his voice reading it in her mind, words she had memorized because of how deeply and thoroughly she had thought them all through before finally deciding on them.

" _Please, Jizou, help me. I'm scared for my people and our future. Please send me someone who can help us all. I want to be happy for once. I want to look forward to the future instead of dreading waking up each morning. Help me find a companion, someone who loves me and loves Mizuho and who I can actually love in return. I'm lonely, Jizou...I don't want to be alone anymore. Please, grant me my wish._ "

For a moment, Sheena thought she was going to pass out from embarrassment and mortification as Zelos looked up at her again, emotion flaring in his eyes that she had never seen there before: empathy, compassion, sadness...something she thought might even be love. She quickly looked away, folding her arms to her chest, unable to meet his eyes again, still refusing to believe this was really happening.

With a low sigh, Zelos looked back at Verius, his voice when he spoke far softer and sadder than it had been a minute ago. "I'm not saying 'no,' but wouldn't it be better if my wife were the one here doing this? Wouldn't this Sheena be more likely to listen to herself than she would to me? I mean, it's pretty obvious this woman hates me."

"I admit, it is possible she would be more receptive to hearing her own voice of reason than that of a man she carries such conflicted feelings toward," Verius replied. "But it will take time for Sheena to come to see, understand, and accept everything that I hope she will, and it is currently impossible for your wife to pass in this world for any length of time as herself."

A quick, curious glance at them showed that Zelos's eyes had lit up with an understanding that Sheena didn't share. "Oh, right, because she's—"

"Yes."

"Whereas I can pass as 'myself' here because the difference between me and the...other me...likely isn't as obvious."

Verius bowed his head. "That is correct. While your hair is considerably shorter than your alternate's, beyond that, you two look the same."

Zelos observed him another moment before glancing at Sheena, who quickly looked away again, still unbearably embarrassed. He then sighed and turned back to Verius. "All right, you said you're only going to keep me here a week, right?"

"That is correct. I cannot keep you from your family any longer than that, especially since your wife made it clear that was the maximum length of time she was willing to let you do this. On the seventh day, whether you have succeeded or failed, I will return you to your home."

"And just to clarify, while I'm here, you expect me to do...what, exactly?"

"Be yourself, Chosen; that is all you need to do," Verius said. "If you can help her find someone with whom she could be happy, that would be wonderful, but I do not expect you to secure her a husband within such a short period of time, nor would I necessarily want you to. Ultimately, Sheena needs to be the one to decide upon the man who will become her companion. Simply let her see you in the same light your wife sees you; let her see the real Zelos Wilder, a man this woman has never received more than a glimpse of in all her time knowing you. In your world, you and your Sheena helped each other grow to accept yourselves and one another, and I believe your presence here will help this Sheena do the same."

Zelos fell silent another long moment, looking back and forth between Sheena and Verius, his blue eyes sharp and piercing as he considered that. Finally, he nodded and turned back to Verius. "All right, if I agree to this, Verius, _you_ have to do something for _me_."

Verius smiled. "Of course, Chosen. What do you need from me?"

"I need you to keep an eye on my family for me while I'm here. I need you to protect them and help them however they need it. If something major comes up, I need you to send me back there immediately." He pointed at Verius, his eyebrows rising expectantly. "And if Sheena goes into labor, you need to promise me that I'll be there for it. I missed the birth of one child for some unhappy reasons that I really don't want to think about right now, and I am _not_ missing another. Okay?"

Despite her embarrassment, Sheena couldn't help outright staring at him. So not only did 'she' have a daughter with him in another universe, but they had another child on the way? She was pretty sure her mind was on the verge of completely shutting down. Verius, however, bowed his head as if he knew all about that—which he likely did. "Very well. I do not expect your wife's condition to change during the next week, but if something happens, I will make sure you are there for it."

"Thanks."

Verius lifted his head, watching Zelos carefully. "So do you agree to do this, Chosen?"

Zelos frowned, but then he lifted his hands, shrugged, and sighed. "Yeah, fine. I'll do it. I'm still not convinced I'll be able to do _anything_ for her, given her rather obvious opinion of me, but I'll give it a shot. Assuming she lets me, of course." His eyes darted at her and he grinned wryly. "And assuming doesn't resort to constantly hitting or insulting me every time she gets embarrassed or uncomfortable with the situation."

Blushing yet again, Sheena looked away from them both, unable to respond to that. She felt like she was dying a little more inside with every new thing they said. This was, by far, the wackiest, weirdest, most disturbing, unrealistic, and surreal dream she had ever experienced. And above all else, she was starting to think that making that wish tag really hadn't been her best idea ever, not if _this_ was the result, how Verius inexplicably thought _Zelos Wilder,_ of all possible men, would magically solve all of her problems.

"As I said, Chosen, be yourself, the man your wife helped you to become, the man she fell in love with," Verius said. "And Sheena, if you truly want your wish to be answered, you must be patient, open-minded, and nonjudgmental with this situation. I know you often struggle with those traits, but in this, you must put forth the effort necessary to be so. As we have already established, and as I know you will realize once you are past the initial shock, this man is not the Zelos Wilder you know and detest. Listen to him. You can trust him. Give him a chance to prove himself. In doing this, I am attempting to answer your wish, but you cannot dismiss my method of doing so offhand, even though I am not approaching it in a way you had anticipated. Do you understand?" Sheena still couldn't look at either of them, but she did get the message. She nodded faintly, maybe even imperceptibly, but Verius seemed to notice and accept it anyway. "Then I will let you two be, and I will see you again in one week."

And just like that, he was gone. A second later, Zelos took a step forward, his eyes widening as he motioned at his bare, muscular chest, the sheet that barely covered him sliding down a bit around his broad shoulders. "Hey, wait a minute! Couldn't you at least have brought me my clothes?!" Verius didn't return, though, and Sheena heard Zelos growl lowly before he looked back at her, considering her. Finally, he sighed again as she averted her eyes, embarrassed to realize she'd been staring at his exposed, impressive physique, and then he lightly touched her back, urging her to walk with him. "C'mon, let's go home—" She stiffened at the term, and he gave her a tight, awkward smile. "Er, _your_ home."

She couldn't help eyeing him uncomfortably, once again finding herself stuck on the fact that he was wearing only black boxer shorts and that damn sheet. Shaking her head to scatter that thought, she instead looked away from him, trying, without much success, to force herself to ignore his partial nudity. How hadn't she noticed it before he'd tried to point it out to Verius?

Without warning, he looked at his hand, seemed to realize what he'd done by touching her, and pulled it away, giving her a sheepish smile. "Sorry. Force of habit."

Sheena didn't reply, still unsure how _to_ reply, but she did start walking beside him, back toward Mizuho, wincing every time _he_ winced as he stepped on a stone or twig with his bare feet. She purposely tried to keep her mind blank, afraid of what would happen if she were to seriously consider everything that was happening—a so-called answer to _her_ wish—but deep down she knew she couldn't put it off much longer. She was ultimately responsible for this since it had been _her_ wish that had led Verius to answer it in this way, and so it was inevitable she would eventually have to face the consequences.

As expected, once they reached her home—she'd never been so glad before that there weren't many villagers left to see a nearly naked _Zelos Wilder_ enter her house with her—with Zelos holding the door open for her, her brain finally started working again. _He_ was supposed to help her solve all of her many problems? Even though he was married to another version of _her_? How was this supposed to work? She couldn't even _look_ at the man without being flooded with a wave of confused, conflicting emotions that ranged from disgust, anger, and annoyance at seeing him again after she'd deliberately cut him from her life long ago, to embarrassment at knowing he'd just read her very personal wish tag in which she'd pleaded for help and a companion, to guilt at knowing she had taken him away from his family. The entire situation was bizarre, and unnerving, and she had no idea how to act around him or what to say to him. She was so distracted by her thoughts that she barely even noticed that upon entering her home, he had guided her to her table, urged her to sit down, and then, after shrugging off her bed sheet and leaving it on the edge of the couch, headed into her kitchen area and began sifting through her cabinets, pulling out food.

In time, and with no answers forthcoming to quell her raging thoughts, her gaze fell on him again—and, against her better judgment, she couldn't look away as he silently began putting together some kind of dish. It was perhaps the most surreal yet mesmerizing sight she'd ever seen: a mostly naked Zelos Wilder with extremely short red hair moving fluidly around her kitchen, knowing exactly where everything was, as if it was the most natural thing in the world for him to do so. And for him, she supposed, it really _was_ natural, seeing as he'd said this had been their 'first house,' meaning he had once lived here...a thought that just made the situation that much more surreal.

Oh, Jizou, if he really did know her house this well, then...all of it had to be true. Not that she thought Verius would lie to her, but _all of it had to be true._

In another universe, _she had married Zelos Wilder and started a family with him._

The reality was finally sinking in, as was the realization that this really wasn't a dream—because while dreams were notoriously weird, there was _no way_ her subconscious mind could possibly be this messed up to be dreaming of marrying _Zelos Wilder_ —and with it came all the accompanying questions. Why had her alternate married him? What had she seen in an idiot like him? How had he convinced her to marry him? Had he caught her in a moment of weakness, had a one-night stand with her, she'd gotten pregnant, and so they'd gotten married? Had she sincerely fallen in love with him, as the ' _Forever Yours_ ' inscription on his ring had hinted, and if so, why? Was she really as happy as Verius had implied? Had he been faithful to her? Was Zelos Wilder even _capable_ of being a husband and a father, taking responsibility for his choices, making a commitment to a single woman, and then sticking to it? How did this Zelos differ from the one she'd always known? He _was_ different—she had seen that already in the short time he'd been here—but what had caused him to mature so much? And how in Jizou's name could she get herself to stop staring at his chest? How would it feel to be her alternate and run her fingers down his...?

She quickly shook her head and forced herself to look away from him, her face flaring at where her mind had unwittingly taken her again. She couldn't let it wander in such a direction. She _couldn't_ , especially given their current situation, and especially when the man she was ogling was _Zelos Wilder_. It was just _so hard_ to stay focused when a single glance at him showed all that perfect, lightly tanned skin and those muscles that rippled gracefully when he moved, indicating he was still keeping himself in great shape...

Sheena jumped a little as a plate with two omelets suddenly appeared on the table in front of her, and she quickly looked down, realizing how distracted she'd been yet again. She forced herself not to look directly at him as he knelt on the other side of the table with his own full plate of food, but her gut told her he knew damn well she'd been staring at him and was smirking about it.

To her surprise, though, he didn't point that out, and instead he motioned at her plate. "Eat." A quick look up at him showed that, to her relief, he wasn't visibly smirking—although she didn't doubt he was smirking internally—but she quickly looked away again as he rolled his eyes at her continued hesitation. "They aren't poisoned, Sheena. And believe it or not, you don't mind them. Honest."

 _Listen to him_ , Verius had insisted earlier. _You can trust him. Give him a chance to prove himself._

While Sheena still couldn't meet his eyes, and she knew she was still blushing profusely, she decided to give Verius—and this strange man who was acting in no way as she expected Zelos Wilder to act—the benefit of the doubt, and so she tentatively took a bite of the breakfast he'd made for her. She was surprised to find it actually tasted pretty good. Now, if only her stomach wasn't turning cartwheels while her head tried to wrap itself around this whole disruptive, confusing situation, she might actually enjoy the food. Despite not feeling hungry, though, she forced herself to eat anyway; she would feel guilty _not_ eating after he'd gone out of his way to make it for her, and Jizou knew she didn't need any more of that, not on top of the guilt she already felt creeping through her at dragging someone into this mess who never should have been.

She tried to keep her attention focused on her breakfast while she ate, but every now and then she couldn't help herself and her eyes drifted back to him...and to his chest. And sure enough, after that had happened a few times, she could see he'd caught on to what she was doing and was smirking about it...at which point she quickly looked away again. For a moment she debated refusing to speak to him the entire time he was here—Verius had promised to take him home in seven days, so it wasn't outside the realm of possibility—but...well, all the questions that had started forming in her mind led her to dismiss that notion. Humiliated about this or not, those questions had proven she was also curious about him, and she really didn't think she could go an entire week pretending to ignore him. Heck, ignoring him would be downright rude of her, too, which was uncalled for when he'd been gracious enough to agree to this for her sake.

No, as much as she wanted to run away and hide from this, it wouldn't work. She truly was responsible for the fact that he was here at all, and she wouldn't be able to live with herself if she tried that. In fact, as much as the realization killed her, she already knew she would open her home to him until he returned to his own universe, not just because he was obviously comfortable here, but if it weren't for her, he would never have been forced from his own home for a week. The least she could do was make a few sacrifices of her own—like supplying him with a couch to sleep on and food to eat. Her social customs might still be rough, but Grandpa had at least taught her _some_ manners before he'd died.

She was half finished with her breakfast when she realized how little he had spoken since Verius had left...and that she had yet to say _anything_ to him since then. She needed to change that; he clearly had decided not to make the first move—which was odd, for a man who was usually such a chatterbox—and so that left her to do so. She wasn't sure how much longer she could go on in silence like this anyway; it was unnerving, what with the three or four gigantic elephants standing in the room with them.

"These are good," she murmured, looking down at the remaining omelet on her plate. She still didn't know what was appropriate for her to say, but she figured at least _that_ was safe.

A quick glance upward showed that he was grinning. "Told ya you wouldn't mind them."

Sheena arched an eyebrow. "I take it you learned to cook after the reunification journey?"

"I help out at home when I can," Zelos replied. "My wife is pretty busy being a chief and a mother and all that, so that leaves me to do my fair share of the cooking and other household chores. She seems to think my cooking skills have improved since then, so..." He shrugged.

"Well, this is better than any cooking I've tasted from you before," she admitted, taking another bite.

"I'll take that as a compliment."

Silence returned as they resumed eating, while Sheena tried to figure out, again, what she should be saying to him. He was being friendly, sure, but it really was surprising that he was continuing to be so quiet rather than chattering on and on or taking advantage of the situation to tease her mercilessly, make her uncomfortable, crack stupid jokes, hit on her, and rub it in her face that they were _married_ , all of which she expected from him far more than this stunted conversation. Well, maybe that was a better place to start than just complimenting his cooking skills?

"You're being unusually quiet," she said, taking another bite of her omelet.

Across the table from her, Zelos grinned again. "Believe me, I know when you need quiet time to think things through and adjust before I start pushing you for any real conversation, especially after something as bizarre and unexpected as _this_ has happened."

She wasn't sure if it was a _comfort_ that he knew that about her and had anticipated her 'freak-out' reaction, or if it was yet another unnerving embarrassment since he seemed to know _everything_ about her and yet she had no idea what he did and did not know. What she did know was that for someone as tactless as Zelos usually was, she was impressed he was respecting her need to mentally work through everything on her own first. She nodded her thanks but didn't say anything else, and instead she continued eating.

And sure enough, her curiosity soon began growing again, especially the more she saw how different he was from the Zelos she knew. She suddenly wanted to know more—about him, about her alternate, about... _them_. She hated thinking about it, seeing as the thought of being _married to Zelos Wilder_ and everything else that came with that made her feel extremely awkward, but since he was here, and he was half-naked in her home, and he had just made her breakfast, and he was acting downright _calm_ and _domestic,_ she couldn't _not_ think about it. There were too many things she wanted to know. She quickly reminded herself that he was only here for a week, and that meant if she said or did something stupid, ultimately there wouldn't be any permanent negative repercussions from it. After all, once he went back to his own world, she would never have to see him again.

To that end, upon finishing the last bite of her omelet and taking a sip of the tea he'd brewed for them, she cleared her throat. _Just ask all those pesky questions,_ she told herself, _no matter how bizarre and embarrassing they—and the inevitable answers—might be._ "So, uh, you and the...other me...are married, huh?"

"Yep," he replied, popping another bite of omelet in his mouth.

"How...how long?"

"Five years. Well, nearly six, but technically still five."

 _Nearly six years._ Sheena shook her head, amazed. If not for Verius vouching for him, she never would've believed that. "Wow."

"Yeah, I know. I still have trouble believing that sometimes, too. We dated for a year and then took the plunge."

That truly made no sense to her, why her alternate would _date that Idiot Chosen an entire year and then agree to marry him_ , but she opted to keep going with her questions anyway. "And...and you two have a daughter together?"

A soft, mesmerizing smile appeared on his lips. "Heh...yeah. Sophia."

"That's a pretty name."

He motioned at her. "It was your choice."

Her eyes narrowed. It was? Huh. 'Sophia' wasn't a name she'd ever considered for a child— _her_ child—although she did like it. She always figured if she had a baby one day, she would choose a Mizuhoan name. But she quickly shook that confusion off; after all, that was just one of many things she didn't understand yet. "How old is she?"

Part of her expected him to say she was over five years old, which would explain why she'd married him, but his actual answer surprised her. "Two and a half."

...So then their daughter had been conceived long after they'd gotten married. Sheena looked down at her hands and absently picked at a jagged fingernail. "Tell me about her."

"Heh. She's...she's beautiful. A handful, and she wants to touch _everything_ , and she seems to be taking after us both by being stubborn and headstrong and getting herself in plenty of trouble, but she's...she's absolutely incredible." Her eyes snapped upward; even she could tell how smitten he was with his daughter. "She looks a lot like you, although you insist she has my eyes."

Sheena couldn't help smiling faintly, despite her discomfort at hearing all of this. "And your 'me,' she's..." she swallowed and looked down at her fingernail again, her blush returning, "she's... _expecting_...again?"

"Yeah. She's due in a few weeks, but realistically, we're expecting it to happen any day now."

"Ah." That explained why he'd insisted Verius send him home if her alternate went into labor. It also explained how he'd recognized that _she_ wasn't her alternate, seeing as she definitely wasn't pregnant. "And you...you live in Mizuho?"

"Yep. Mizuho moved a few years ago, but it's still Mizuho, and it's still home."

Sheena looked up at him again, her eyes narrowing. He didn't seem to be lying about any of this—on the contrary, she had never seen Zelos look so serious and sincere when talking about himself before—but it just couldn't be possible, could it? "I'm sorry, I'm just having trouble wrapping my head around this."

"Which part?" He grinned knowingly. "Besides all of it?"

She motioned at him. "You mentioned that I was chief in your world, and yet...she married you?"

Zelos held up his left hand, once again showing off his wedding ring. "Obviously."

" _You_ live in _Mizuho_."

"Yeah...?"

She stared at him. "You're her _spouse_."

His face twisted in obvious confusion. "Yeah...?"

"But the chief's spouse...?" How could she put this delicately, without insulting him again? "Did they change the rules in your world about the expectations for the role?"

"You mean the chief consort?" he replied, his eyebrows rising. "No, I'm the chief consort."

Sheena blinked at him blankly. He _had_ to be joking. " _You_."

He lifted his hands innocently. "Oh, c'mon, don't look so surprised! You—well, _my_ you—is constantly telling me I'm doing a good job at it."

 _Zelos Wilder_ was Mizuho's _chief consort_ in his world. She shook her head in amazement. "I can't believe you agreed to that."

He grinned. "Heh. Neither can I sometimes."

"I can't believe _I_ agreed to that," she muttered.

"Yeah, ditto on that one, too." It amazed her how _not_ -obnoxious he was being about this; the Zelos Wilder she'd always known would have been teasing her mercilessly, not speaking about himself almost self-deprecatingly. This man was so much calmer than her world's version of him, and Sheena couldn't help smiling faintly, feeling herself relax a little. If he really wanted to make her uncomfortable and tease her, he would've done so already, and the fact that he hadn't left her thinking maybe Verius was right that she could trust him, at least with that. "But you did, and I have yet to hear any complaints or regrets about your decision to say 'yes' when I offered."

...Wait, what? "You offered?" Her eyes widened as he nodded and murmured an affirmative, realizing what he was implying. Not only had he married her and moved to Mizuho, but he had _offered_ to accept that role, for _her._ It was hard to believe, hard even to comprehend, and it took her a moment to grasp the full implication of that. She hadn't consciously acknowledged this before, but now that she had, the very thought stunned her. "You must really love her." For a moment he just stared at her, but then, without warning, he burst out laughing. Her face flushed with embarrassment and she glared at him. " _What_? Why are you laughing? Because you _don't_ love her?"

Zelos waved that off, visibly attempting to control his laughter. "No, no, not at all. I'm laughing because you _finally_ figured that out! _Of course_ I love her! She's my wife. I mean, do you really think I would've married her and moved to Mizuho if I didn't? I know I've always had a reputation as a flirt, a playboy, and a womanizer, not to mention for being impulsive with women, but marriage is something I take very seriously, thank you very much. Trust me, I never would've married her unless I loved her."

...Huh. Who would've thought him capable of that? "And she..." her blush deepened, and she looked down at her hands again, suddenly feeling shy asking this, "...she loves you?"

"Well, that's really a question for _her_ , not me, but yeah, I think it's safe to say she does. I can tell; she's done an awful lot of things for me over the years that she never would've done if she didn't love me." He shrugged. "Besides, if she didn't love me, she wouldn't be happy with me, and then I wouldn't be sitting here right now. Verius never would've brought me here to help you out if she wasn't."

He was right; if this man's version of her didn't really love him, then Verius would've handled this situation very differently. She just wasn't sure she could fathom loving _Zelos Wilder._ "No, I guess not," she murmured, then glanced up at him again, relieved to see he wasn't smirking. Heck, there wasn't even a twinkle of amusement in his blue eyes. "I'm just...I'm having trouble accepting that, that you really do love each other. I mean, no offense, but I never thought you were even _capable_ of love, of committing to one woman, and of settling down in a village like this."

He grinned wryly. "That's because there's a lot you don't know about me, sweetheart. I can guess how it must seem from your perspective, knowing how you used to view me, but the fact of the matter is yes, I do love her. More than life itself. I have for a long, long time, far longer than just before we started dating, even if it took me awhile to realize that. I would do anything for her. She's the love of my life. She's my best friend. She's...heh."

The uncharacteristic blush that appeared on his face, accompanied by an almost _shy_ smile and laugh, held her captivated. Sheena suddenly wanted him to finish that thought. "She's what?"

Zelos glanced up at her, but then he quickly looked down at his plate, the smile still toying on his lips. "I would never tell her this to her face because I know she'd just roll her eyes, smack me, and declare me to be a hopeless idiot and unrepentant, over-the-top sap, but she's my soulmate." His eyes snapped up to hers. "We have plenty of issues, and we've had more than a few arguments since we got married, some of which were pretty major, but that doesn't erase the fact that I can't imagine my life without her...I can't imagine ever being this happy with anyone but her."

Her heart was pounding; her face was burning. This whole conversation was downright _bizarre_ —especially when she realized he was talking about another version of _her_ —and once again she had to fight back the urge to run away and not have to deal with this insanity. She'd be lying to say she didn't recognize he meant that, though; as hard as it was to believe, she could see he was sincere. In fact, it stunned her not only to realize she could instinctively recognize that, because of how differently his words had been delivered from nearly every other line she'd ever heard Zelos Wilder utter, but because it meant he was _capable_ of loving a woman— _her_ —enough to give up his playboy life and commit to her for good. And while she would never tell him this, the oft-neglected romantic side of her, a side she'd been certain she'd pushed out of her life for good years ago, found his words to be extremely sweet and touching.

But then she realized something else, something that brought with it a nearly overwhelming wave of guilt. By making that wish tag, she had taken this man—a man she truly _didn't_ know anything about—away from his home, his 'best friend' and 'soulmate,' and his 'incredible' daughter. His very presence here was her fault, and as a result he had to be away from them now, unexpectedly, unwantedly, for an entire week. Her head sank downward, and the smile that had appeared on her face as he'd declared his love for his wife vanished. "Listen, Zelos, I...I'm really sorry about this."

He arched an eyebrow at her. "For what?"

She motioned at him. "For dragging you here like this."

He frowned. "I don't remember you _dragging_ me here, Sheena. I remember Verius making a choice you didn't ask for, volunteering me for this particular mission, and dragging me here himself."

Well, yeah, but that didn't erase the fact that ultimately _she_ was responsible for this. She'd been thoughtless when she'd made her wish, not considering all the disruptive ways it could be answered, and if she'd known it would result in this, she would've thought twice about completing that wish tag. "But still, if it weren't for me and that stupid wish I made, you wouldn't be here right now. You'd still be with your family where you belong."

Zelos shook his head. "It's one week, not the rest of my life. I'll live. Besides, I don't blame you for this, nor do I think your wish was in any way 'stupid,' so don't apologize." His eyebrows rose pointedly. "This isn't your fault, Sheena. Honest."

While she appreciated his effort to allay her guilt, his words did little when she could already see the bruise forming on his cheek where she had punched him earlier. She discreetly motioned at it. "Well, the bruise on your face sure was."

He lifted his hand to his cheek and touched it, wincing. "Oh. Heh. Yeah, I suppose that _is_ your fault, isn't it?"

She lowered her eyes. "I'm sorry about that, too. You and Verius were right. It's already becoming pretty obvious that I don't know anything about you and who you really are. You aren't the Zelos Wilder I've always known, and I had no right to judge you based on who I thought you were, and especially not to lash out at you like that. You didn't do anything wrong. I'm sorry."

"Sheena, it's okay," he quickly said. "This'll heal." He gave her a goofy grin. "Heh. Actually, it kinda felt like I was reliving the good old days, back before we started dating, when you were still smacking me every time I opened my mouth." A second later, though, he pulled a face. "Of course, now that I think about it, I really don't miss those days all that much..."

Her eyebrows flew upward. "Are you saying your wife doesn't smack you all the time?"

"You probably won't believe me, but no, she doesn't. Playful smacks when I'm being silly? Sure, those I get all the time. ' _I want to physically make you pay for something stupid you did_ ' smacks?" He shook his head. "No. Not anymore, and not for a long time now."

Under normal circumstances she would never believe that, seeing as _Zelos Wilder_ was the one saying it, but the man she was seeing right now was so completely different from 'her' Zelos that she _did_ believe him. Other than when they'd first awoken, she hadn't experienced a single urge to smack him for something stupid he'd done. In fact, he was acting far calmer, more mature, and less irritating than she'd known he was capable of being. Hell, he had even made her breakfast without any prompting! Since talking to Verius, she'd been trying to get into the head of this man's wife, needing to figure out what she had seen in him, but judging from his actions the short time he'd been here, it wasn't hard. He was acting like a real husband toward her—granted, to a woman who was his wife but actually _wasn't_ , kind of...agh, this whole thing was confusing, and complicated, and embarrassing, and she could only imagine how weird it must be for him, too, to be with someone who looked like his wife but _wasn't._ The situation was bizarre and unnerving, definitely, but it was also eye-opening because she was seeing him in a completely new light.

And so, not knowing what to say, Sheena just nodded, realizing she had no right to argue his assertion.

Zelos smiled faintly, then suddenly cleared his throat. "In any case, that's enough about me. I'm here because of _you_ —and because I apparently have a job to do here, even if I have no clue how to do it yet. But a good starting point is finding out how you're different from my wife. So tell me, what's your life been like the past few years? Judging from the fact that my Sheena was under pressure to get married before she became chief, I'm assuming you were here, too. So did you? Obviously not to me, but to someone?" And just like that, her growing comfort level plummeted and her mind set off warning bells. She knew the conversation eventually had to come around to her...but she really wished it hadn't. She nodded, her nerves already bristling. "Mind if I ask who?" She didn't immediately answer, and a moment later he waved that off. "Actually, don't bother answering that. I already know. Orochi, right?"

Her eyes widened and snapped up to his. "How...how did you...?"

"How did I know? Because he was the only other option you had in my world, too. Well, that and because he once had a 'thing' for you, meaning I'm sure he pursued you here, too. Unless something significantly different happened here, it makes sense that you ended up marrying him to fulfill that requirement."

...Ah. She looked down at the table and nodded faintly, her voice lowering. "Yeah. I did."

"So what happened? Where is he?"

Guilt she'd been trying for years to bury was already beginning to well up within her. She really didn't want to talk about this, not with him and not with anyone, but she supposed she had no choice. He was right; like it or not, he was here for _her_ , and that meant he needed to know certain things about her. "Orochi is dead."

Instantly, Zelos's face fell even as his eyes widened. "I'm sorry, Sheena." She nodded, accepting that his horrified, sad expression was sincere. "How long were you two married?"

"A little under three months."

"How long ago?"

"Six years."

"And you've been alone ever since?" She nodded, and his voice fell to a whisper as he murmured, "No wonder you made that wish." Sheena looked away from him again. The truth was, he didn't know the half of it—and if it were up to her, he never would. "May I ask what happened?"

"I'd rather not talk about it." Which was an understatement, but she refused to elaborate on that.

Thankfully, Zelos lifted his hands. "Okay. I get it. I won't push."

"Thanks." As much as she wanted to drop the entire subject of Orochi, though, she needed to know this first. "Is...is your Orochi still alive?"

"Yeah, he is."

Orochi was still alive in his world...likely because he hadn't married _her._ _Oh, Jizou._ She swallowed hard. "You said your Orochi had a 'thing' for your... _me_?"

"Oh, yeah," he replied with a smirk. "The man couldn't stand me all while my Sheena and I were dating, mostly because he viewed me as a threat to you and to his ability to win your heart. If he could've, he would've killed me a thousand times over. Bottom line was, he was jealous of me and wanted my Sheena for himself. That's why I figured he pursued you here, too. Without my competition, nothing would've stood in his way. I'm not surprised you accepted him, either. He's a good man, and he loves Mizuho."

"And even though we weren't married long, he was a good husband," she whispered, still looking down at her hands. _I just wasn't a good wife_ , her mind added, but Sheena bit her tongue, refusing to say that aloud.

Zelos shook his head. "I'm not gonna argue that, sweetheart. It took him awhile to warm up to me, but in time he did. He's a good friend now—one of the best I have. I trust him with my life, and my Sheena is convinced he feels the same about me, although I'm sure he'll never admit that to my face."

At least she didn't have to try to defend Orochi's honor to him, because few things in life made her more uncomfortable than doing so. And...she needed to know this, too. "Is he...is he happy in your world?"

"Yeah, he is," Zelos said with a faint smile. "In fact, he just got engaged a few weeks ago. Took him a few years to even _look_ at any woman who wasn't you, but just this past year he met this woman, Leara, while on a mission in Luin, and fell head over heels in love with her. She fell pretty hard for him, too. Took her awhile—not to mention quite a bit of mental adjustment—but she's come to accept Mizuho and agreed to marry him and move there. She's a sweet girl, and she's good for him. She'll be a good addition to Mizuho, too; she has some craft skills that will come in handy. The wedding's set for a few months from now. He's really excited about it."

The guilt churning within her was nearly unbearable. As happy as she was to hear that the alternate world's Orochi was so happy...the fact that he would never be able to experience that same happiness here made her feel nauseous. "I'm glad to hear that."

Zelos was eyeing her closely again, she realized, but if he noticed her sullen demeanor and the way she had to choke out each word, he didn't ask about it. Absently, Sheena wondered if he was able to put together any of the pieces, even without her stating as much. It wouldn't surprise her, considering how well he seemed to know her. After a moment, he cleared his throat again. "So anyway, if I'm gonna be here a few days, I need to know a few baseline things about you beyond the fact that you were once married to Orochi and are now a widow. The way you reacted to seeing me this morning told me quite a bit, but I need to be clear on this. What's the deal with you and your 'me'?"

And just like that, all feelings of guilt fled her in wake of the ancient anger that immediately reignited within her. Zelos Wilder, the idiotic, perverted, egotistical, narcissistic Chosen she never wanted to see again, let alone talk about. She always seemed to see red whenever she thought about him—and not just because of the color of his hair. "He's a rude, selfish, arrogant, slimy, perverted _jackass_."

His eyebrows flew upward. "Wow. Why don't you tell me how you _really_ feel about him?"

"That _is_ how I really feel about him!" she snapped. "The man is a good-for-nothing son of a bitch."

He smirked faintly, his eyes narrowing. "You do realize that's _me_ you're talking about, right?"

She shook her head curtly. "You're nothing like him. I may have only known you a short time now, but I can still tell that. You at least act like a normal human being, someone who _cares_ about his friends and family and goes out of his way for them. I sure can't say that about _him_."

"I'm not fully convinced of that yet seeing as, according to Verius, he and I were identical until that one night seven years ago, but I don't know who he is now to be able to deny it, either. Whatever the case, what is it he did to you?" She pursed her lips and looked away, trying to hold her rage at bay, and after a moment he leaned forward. "C'mon, Sheena, I need to know this."

She silently debated that another moment. She really didn't want to tell him the truth about 'himself'—talking to him about ' _him_ ' was plenty weird enough, especially knowing he _wasn't_ really him—but she couldn't _not_ tell him, either. This, too, he truly did need to know. "The bastard skipped my wedding. He swore he would be there for it, but when the day came, he was nowhere to be found. And that wouldn't have been so bad except we found out the next day that he'd been in bed with one of his hunnies the entire time and 'lost track of time.' As if I wasn't important enough for him to 'waste his time' on like that! I mean, I know we'd always had a poor relationship before that, and it had gotten especially bad at the end, but I'd always thought we were at least _friends_. But then he went and pulled a stunt like _that_?! And the way he reacted when I confronted him about it...he was so blasé, as if it was no big deal. You'd think it was _my_ fault for choosing _that_ day to get married!"

Zelos eyed her carefully, letting out a noncommittal hum. "So you hate him."

Sheena wasn't sure she _hated_ him—mostly she thought it was hurt and anger at how he'd brushed her off in favor of his damn _whores_ , not to mention all the cruel, unforgivable things he'd said those last few times she'd seen him...not that she would relay that to _this_ Zelos who was better off not knowing such things—but she figured it couldn't hurt to tell his alternate this much, even if it wasn't entirely true. "Yes." She got the feeling that didn't come out as certainly as she'd wanted, but Zelos didn't comment on it. "I told him that was it, I never wanted to see him or talk to him again, and he just shrugged it off and said ' _Gladly_.' I haven't seen him since."

"Not even at get-togethers with Lloyd and our friends?" Zelos pressed.

She shook her head. "They haven't seen him since then, either. It's like he suddenly realized he was infinitely better than the rest of us and doesn't deem us worthy of being graced by his presence so he completely cut himself off from us to go chasing after women. He didn't even bother to show his face at Lloyd and Colette's wedding three years ago, and I _know_ they invited him because I'd overheard their debate about whether or not they even _should_ invite him after everything he'd done!"

"Mm," he murmured. "And you're sure he's still alive."

"Positive. Mizuho may be cut off from the rest of the world, but even we've heard story after story about his exploits with women and how he's always out and about, flaunting his 'beautiful face' everywhere he goes."

He nodded faintly. "Is he still the Chosen?"

She...really didn't know. Huh. She'd never thought about that, but with the removal of the institution of the Chosen system, wouldn't his title have gone away, too? "I don't think so, but there was never any announcement made about it. I figure the title just died out."

"Mm," he repeated.

Sheena stared at him blankly. Here she was, telling him about his alternate self, and that was the best he could do? She motioned at him. "That's all you can say?! ' _Mm'_? You aren't going to try to defend him, since he's 'you'?!"

Zelos lifted his hands defensively. "Whoa, hey, sweetheart, don't get mad at _me_. _I_ didn't do any of that to you, nor to 'my' you, either. My life took a very different route after the king's reunification party...obviously a much _better_ one when it came to our relationship. I don't think it's my place to try to defend him or his choices because _I'm_ not the one who made them."

...Oh. Her face grew warm, and she looked down at her hands, her anger dissipating. "You're right. I'm sorry. What he did isn't your fault, and it's unfair of me to take that out on you."

He nodded, accepting her apology, then watched her silently another moment. Finally, he quirked a smile. "Heh. Well, I guess I can't blame you for wanting nothing to do with him after all that. That eliminates him from the list of possible suitors for you."

...And now her face was blazing. He did _not_ just say that! "You don't have to find me _anyone_! Verius said it himself: you don't have to play matchmaker for me. I thought I'd made it clear that the way he's going about trying to answer that stupid wish definitely wasn't how I'd wanted."

"I know," he quickly replied. "But I haven't eliminated the possibility yet, either. I mean, I _love_ you, Sheena. Well, I love _my_ you, at least. And knowing that you are what my wife would've become if things had played out differently between us...I can't help but want to find a way to make you happy. We've discussed it before; if something were to happen to me, I wouldn't want her to be alone and miserable for the rest of her life, and if something happened to her, she wouldn't want me to be alone and miserable for the rest of mine, either. The way I see it, this is kinda the same."

"Well, not really, but point taken," she muttered.

He nodded. "Okay, so if Orochi died years ago, I'm assuming you've been chief alone here all this time?"

Any fire she'd felt while talking about the Idiot Chosen of her world fled her at the mention, again, of Orochi, and her eyes fell back to the table. "...No."

"No?" he prompted.

"I never became chief here."

"You didn't?" She shook her head. "Why not?"

She sighed. Okay, fine, she supposed this was another thing he needed to know. "I didn't feel right accepting the role. Grandpa died at the same time Orochi did, which was before I was officially made chief...and before I was fully trained to _become_ chief. There was too much I didn't know, and without Grandpa there to guide me...we decided it would be best for Tiga to assume his duties permanently instead."

His eyes widened slightly. "Ah. Well, I'd say 'I'm sorry' only I know you never really wanted to become chief anyway, so I have a hunch you weren't that upset about it." Sheena blinked at him, stunned that he knew that, and he smiled faintly. "My Sheena told me awhile back that becoming chief was never her life's aspiration and she only accepted the role because she thought it would 'make up to Mizuho' for the Volt incident, by leading it into a brighter future. I can't imagine you felt any differently here."

Her lips parted, her voice lowering to a whisper. "I've never told anyone that."

"Neither had my wife before she told me, and it took some rather unhappy circumstances to get her to do so, even after we'd been married two years. I'm sorry to hear about your grandfather, by the way."

Wow. Her alternate must really trust him if she'd told him that, a secret Sheena had sworn she'd never let anyone so much as suspect about her. She nodded, grateful for his condolences. Her gut was telling her it wasn't a good idea to press too much about the circumstances of his world, but her curiosity was getting the better of her again. "Is he still alive in your world?"

Zelos nodded. "Yeah, he is. His health isn't what it used to be, though. Illnesses have been hitting him pretty hard lately. We aren't sure how much longer he's going to live."

"Regardless, he survived longer there than he did here," she whispered.

"True."

Another random thought hit her. "And he...he approved of you as Mizuho's chief consort?"

"Yeah, he did," Zelos replied, grinning. "Encouraged it, actually."

She would never believe that except she knew, deep down, that her grandfather never would have let them get married if he _hadn't_ approved of Zelos...yet another realization Sheena simply couldn't fathom. "Wow. I never would've thought."

"Yeah, that came as a surprise to us, too."

Everything he had said so far, the way he had reacted to everything that had happened and everything she'd said...he really wasn't the man she'd always known, was he? He was so different, so much more mature, so much calmer and more tactful and sincere. She was already feeling comfortable with him in a way she never had with any other man. It was bizarre to realize that, but it was true. Maybe it was because he was so clearly comfortable with her, as if this, chatting with her over a breakfast he had made them, was a perfectly normal and natural activity for him—which, she realized, it probably was. Of course, it was also still ridiculously _distracting_ that he was barely wearing any clothes. Her eyes dropped to his chest yet again, as if magnetically drawn to the sight, to the smooth muscles, to the perfect, albeit lightly scarred, skin. And again she found herself wondering what it would be like to be his wife, to be able to touch him like she did and run her fingers over his...

With a start, she coughed and forced her eyes away from him, her face blazing, realizing she was ogling him again, and suddenly she remembered him yelling at Verius earlier that he should've brought him some clothes. No, Zelos wasn't sitting here trying to flaunt his near-nudity in her face; he really didn't have anything to wear here since all of his clothes were at his home with his family. And that meant...well, that meant it was her responsibility to find him something to wear. It _was_ her fault he was here, after all. He certainly couldn't go the entire week wearing _this_...and really, neither could she since she'd never be able to get anything done, not with this distraction constantly on display before her.

Okay, so she needed to fix the problem—and she needed to fix it, like, an hour ago. She cleared her throat and jumped to her feet, trying to cover where her attention kept going. "A...anyway, I...I'm going to find you some clothes to wear while you're here."

And just like that, all semblance of calmness vanished from his face as he likewise stood, replaced instead by a wicked, obnoxiously familiar smirk that she had never wanted to see again. "Like what you see a little too much, eh?" he asked, waggling his eyebrows knowingly.

And there, finally, was the Zelos Wilder she'd always known and detested. Apparently they weren't so different after all, were they? She fixed him with a glare, her face now as red as his hair. "Sh...shut up! It's not that, it's just..."

The evil smirk vanished, and instead he blinked at her, suddenly a deceptive picture of innocence. "...You're trying very hard not to jump me?"

Her glare hardened. Agh, maybe her impression that he was calmer and more mature had been wrong after all; maybe he'd just gotten better at hiding his true character. "I see you're still a perverted idiot."

Zelos nodded curtly. "Yes, I am. You tell me that all the time, and I know it. But I also know you really don't care." The smirk returned and he pointed at her. "In fact, I happen to know you _love_ it."

Sheena rolled her eyes and folded her arms to her chest. "You wish."

"I don't have to _wish_ , sweetheart," he countered. "I _know_. I'm married to you, remember? And the fact of the matter is that I know _quite_ well just how attracted you are to me."

She sputtered at the accusation indignantly. "No, I'm not!" She absolutely hated the fact that she was blushing this badly, but he had suddenly reverted to being an obnoxious idiot and she realized she really, _really_ wanted the Zelos she'd been talking with over breakfast back.

"Heh...sorry, but I beg to differ."

Of _course_ he did. "Let me guess, that's the _real_ reason you married her, isn't it? For the sex?" She huffed, now completely back at being unable to believe 'she' had married a sex-crazed flirt and idiot like _him_.

To her surprise, though, Zelos rolled his eyes at that. "Actually, no, we _didn't_ get married for the sex. In fact, we didn't even _have_ sex until after we'd been married because of Mizuho's silly little rule against women having sex before marriage—which, for the record, my wife and I have kept but have softened considerably. More to, y'know, a strong recommendation than a hard and fast rule. No, we got married because we loved each other and wanted to spend the rest of our lives together. Like I said, I married her because she's my best friend and soulmate." He tilted his head. "Although I have to admit, the sex is an _awesome_ benefit to being married, and I know she doesn't mind it, either."

Sheena blinked at him, unamused. "How did we get on this subject?"

He grinned proudly. "I have a talent for turning any conversation around to be about sex. You tell me that all the time."

"You don't say," she stated flatly. "And for the record, now I _know_ you're lying."

"About what?"

"That your 'me' enjoys the sex."

His eyes widened, once again the picture of innocence. "What? She does!"

Sheena fixed him with her best glare. "I've been married and had sex myself, Zelos, and I can assure you it isn't that great. Only you men seem to find it to be earth shattering and something worth pursuing _all the time_ and you've deluded yourselves into believing women enjoy it just as much as you do."

Without warning, he pointed at her again, his gaze suddenly hardening. "Okay, first of all? I did _not_ need that mental image of you and Orochi having sex. That's just..." He visibly cringed and shuddered, his face contorting in disgust. "And second...you aren't really trying to tell me that you hate sex, are you?"

...Why in Jizou's name was she discussing _this_ , sex and her nonexistent sex life,with _Zelos Wilder_? "I...I didn't hate it!" she countered, flustered. "It just...it wasn't that exciting."

A glance at him showed he was now outright gaping at her. "You're serious."

She lifted her hands incredulously. "Yes, I'm serious!"

Zelos blinked at her a few times, but then his eyes narrowed. "Okay, I know you and Orochi weren't married that long, but you did try it more than just once, right? Because the first time is notoriously the worst and it improves after that."

Egads, she did _not_ want to be having this conversation with him! "Of course we did it more than once!" Her blush deepened as his eyebrows rose, prodding her on. "I gave it two...three chances..."

His jaw dropped. " _Three times?!_ Sheena, you and Orochi only slept together _three times_ in the _three months_ you were married?!"

Okay, she _refused_ to let him get the better of her with this conversation. _Time to turn the tables on him._ She folded her arms to her chest. "Oh, and let me guess: you force your wife to have sex with you a whole lot more than that."

He pulled a face. "Of course not! I would never force her to do anything, sex included, and if she were here, she would vouch for that. Ask her if you ever meet her. But you decided you hated sex based on only _three times_ trying it?! Great Jizou, Sheena, we'd had sex three times within the first 24 hours we were married! By the end of our first week being married, I'd lost count of how many times we'd 'tried' it!" He abruptly pointed at her. "And _for the record_ , you _love_ sex, and nothing you say will convince me otherwise. Half the time, _you're_ the one who initiates it, and I sure as hell wouldn't turn it down because it is _just that awesome_. And I'll say this again: I've _never_ forced her to have sex. _Never_. You really think someone as strong and violent as you would even _let_ me do something that stupid? No, you enjoy it, Sheena. I can tell, not to mention I know it _because_ _you've told me you do_. Multiple times, and it was quite clear each time that you were telling me the truth. If you really think you hate it, then maybe you never tried it with the right guy."

Instantly, she felt her blood run cold. He was on the verge of saying something so dreadfully familiar and hated that it had haunted her memories for years. "Why don't you just say what you're thinking, Zelos? You don't think I ever loved Orochi. Heaven knows I heard those exact same words from the other 'you' plenty of times before Orochi and I got married!"

His eyes narrowed sharply and he watched her closely a moment, but he didn't push that, and his face quickly softened. "Sheena, I would never accuse you of that, but I do know the truth. In my world, you never loved Orochi. That's why I have trouble believing you would love him here, either, even without me in the picture. I still remember the look on my wife's face when I first told her that Orochi was in love with her; it was a combination of horror, panic, and repulsion. I can't imagine you felt any differently about him here. You aren't attracted to him, physically, mentally, _or_ emotionally, and that isn't something you can change, no matter what universe you're in. You've told me he was always like a brother or a close cousin to you, and that's how I know you would never truly enjoy having sex with him. Seriously, both parties need to be attracted to each other not only emotionally, but physically, too, at least to a degree, in order to give sex that 'spark' that turns it from something tolerable into something incredible." He motioned at her. "You and I have that spark. You and Orochi don't. That wasn't his fault, nor was it yours; that's just the way it was."

Sheena folded her arms to her chest. This was still sounding suspiciously like everything the Zelos Wilder of this world had harped on, too. "So you're saying I made mistake marrying him."

He shook his head—and, to her surprise, he actually seemed to mean that. "No, no, that's not what I'm saying. Not at all. I know the situation you were in before you could become chief. You had to be married so Mizuho would have a chief consort. In Mizuho, people don't always marry for love, and when your options were so limited, you had to marry _someone_ , and so you chose the best man you had available to you. Orochi loved you, he loved Mizuho, and he would be a good, caring husband. I'm sure you knew all of that, and so you made the best choice you could, given that there was a lot of pressure on you to do something you probably never would've chosen otherwise. I don't blame you for that. My Sheena would've done the same. In fact, I know there were times when she seriously considered it because she never thought I'd be happy living the life of the chief consort. Ultimately, though, I was a choice she had in my world that you didn't, and she took it."

Her throat felt tight and constricted, making her feel like she was choking. The last thing she wanted to think about was everything he was saying, and she certainly didn't want to acknowledge any of it, to him or to herself, but the truth was, deep down, she already knew he was right about that. She and Orochi never had a 'spark'; she hadn't felt it once during the three months they'd been married, nor in the months of courtship leading up to their engagement and wedding. And it wasn't because she hadn't known what it felt like, because she _did_ know what that spark felt like. She'd felt it before, with other men, like... She quickly pushed that thought, too, from her mind, refusing to dwell on it.

No, right now she needed a change of subject, fast, because this current topic would just lead her to one thing: truths she was in no way ready to face yet. "I don't want to talk about this anymore."

Zelos lifted his hands. "Okay, fine, we'll drop it. Just no more thinking you hate sex again, because that simply isn't true, and I will call you on it time and again."

Sheena sighed. It was obvious there was no use arguing that further, so she wouldn't. "Fine. But I still need to find you clothes."

"Yeah, no argument there," he replied, relaxing a little. He motioned at his body and quirked an awkward, and really kind of cute, smile. "I can't really walk around here like this for the next week, now, can I?"

She couldn't help a tiny smile from toying on her lips as her eyes trailed down his body. "No, you can't." Clearing her throat, she forced herself to turn away before she could get distracted again and headed toward her storage room. "Let me see what I can find you."

"Ah, if you're planning on raiding Orochi's old stuff, don't bother," he interrupted. "I've already tried it, and it doesn't fit me. It's about two sizes too small for me."

"...Oh." She froze, then turned back to him, arching an eyebrow. "Do I want to know how you know that?"

He grinned. "The first few weeks after we were married, I needed temporary ninja clothes until you finished making some for me, and he had me try on a few different sets to find one that fit. One of those was his own."

"Ah." Well, that would save them time. "So whose finally fit you?"

"Well, I know it was a long time ago, but do you still have any of Tatsuya's old stuff? Y'know, Michi's father? It turned out his clothes fit me pretty well."

She thought for a moment. Mizuho made a point to not get of any of their old but still usable equipment because it was likely someone else could one day use it. That custom had proven extremely helpful after they'd lost most of their villagers and were limited to the old stuff they'd had, with no one left to make new ones and, for those who _were_ left, no time to learn how to make more because they needed everyone focused on making sure the survivors survived. "Yeah, they're probably still in storage."

"Think Sadako would mind lending me a set?" he asked with a hopeful smile.

"Sadako's been dead for years," she whispered, her heart sinking as another unwanted memory resurfaced. Yet another old friend she'd lost long ago. "So no, she wouldn't mind if you borrowed one."

To her surprise, Zelos's face instantly paled and sank. If she didn't know better, she would've thought he was _stricken_ by that. "Oh. I...I'm sorry to hear that."

And in that moment, Sheena recognized what he wasn't saying: in his world, Sadako was still alive, just like Orochi and Igaguri were. And suddenly she found herself wondering who else was still alive there who no longer was here...and how his world had ended up so drastically different from her own when the only difference between them had been that he and the alternate Sheena had been romantically involved.

"What about Michi?" Zelos asked, his voice low and shaky, as if he was afraid to hear her answer. "Is he still here? Would he mind if I borrowed his father's clothes for a few days?"

Sheena almost hated to tell him the truth, seeing as his expression made it obvious Michi was another villager Zelos knew well. "Michi ran away from Mizuho years ago. No one's seen him since. We never found a body when we searched for him, but we've always assumed he didn't make it out of Gaoracchia Forest alive."

Zelos squeezed his eyes shut for a moment before opening them again, his voice soft when he spoke. "Ah. I guess that's possible, but I wouldn't put it past him to have survived, either. In my world he made it all the way to Meltokio the one time he ran away, so he does know how to take care of himself."

As much as she wished that was true, her gut was saying it wasn't. Given everything that had happened in Mizuho the past few years, she couldn't believe he wouldn't have come back even _once_ to see how his family was doing. Despite that morbid certainty, though, she chose not to voice that doubt aloud. Instead, she cleared her throat, forcing herself to return to the subject at hand: finding Zelos clothes. "In any case, I'll see what I can find you," she said. Zelos nodded but didn't say anything, still visibly stunned by her earlier news. "I'll be right back."

"I'll be here," he whispered.

Sheena eyed him a moment—was it possible he truly _cared_ about Mizuho and its people?—but then she pushed that thought from her mind, put on her shoes, and headed out to the storage building on the other side of the village. Even though the sun was already rising, the village was still extremely quiet, as it always was, but that time she was grateful for it since it meant fewer people she had to make small talk with or try to explain why she was retrieving clothes that had been long packed away. It took her a bit of searching, but eventually she found Tatsuya's clothes—and then she even took a moment to find a set that actually _looked_ decent. Zelos had been extremely sweet to her so far, not counting that uncomfortable 'sex' discussion, and so she opted to not embarrass him by intentionally giving him clothes he would looked horrible wearing.

By the time she'd returned home with the clothes—and shoes, she'd remembered at the last minute, although she didn't know if those sizes matched up, too—she discovered that Zelos had nearly finished cleaning the dishes from breakfast. The sight, again, gave her pause, not only that he was willing to do such menial household chores, but that he had done them completely unprompted.

"Thank you," she said with all sincerity, gaining his attention as he looked back at her from the kitchen. "Not just for making breakfast, but for cleaning up."

He grinned. "You're welcome. The least I can do while I'm here is help out where I can." Joining her by the door, he accepted the clothes she handed him. "Thank you, too, for finding these."

She smiled faintly. "You're welcome."

Zelos took the clothes into her bathroom to change. A minute later he emerged again...and that sight, too, seeing _Zelos Wilder_ wearing _ninja clothes,_ made her do a double take. While she knew her other options would have looked hideous on him, this one wasn't much better, a dull brown with only a few accent colors to break the monotony. Sheena couldn't help chuckling, relieved to see his lips were quirked, indicating he saw the humor in it himself. She motioned at him. "I'm sorry, Zelos. I tried to find you a decent set, but those...well, those clothes really aren't you."

His grin broadened. "No, they really aren't, especially not compared to the awesome outfit you made me for daily Mizuhoan wear, but I'll live for a few days."

To her alarm, though, only a moment later his face fell. Uh oh. She didn't like that look. "What is it?"

"Er...actually, I'm not sure this will work. If I start running around here—or anywhere else, for that matter—dressed like a ninja, it'll start a whole lot of rumors you probably don't want. Not to mention it'll raise a whole lot of eyebrows and suspicions from everyone who sees me. In my world it's expected that I look like this, but here...heh, I doubt your fellow ninjas would be enthused to see me looking like this for long. You might get some questions as to why I'm here."

...Oh, right. He had a point. "The Zelos Wilder of this world wouldn't be caught dead wearing something like this, so it would be extremely out of character for you."

"Yeah."

Sheena thought for a moment, re-envisioning all the clothes she'd seen in storage, but came up blank. "Unfortunately, we don't have any other clothes here that would look more 'normal' on you, Zelos."

"No, I know. I didn't expect you would."

"Then...what are you thinking?" she prompted when he fell silent.

Zelos gave her a sheepish smile. "As much as I hate to suggest this, I do know where I can get some quickly and easily."

Her eyes narrowed. She wasn't sure what he was getting at—or why it made him look so uncomfortable. "...You want to go to Meltokio and have them make you something?"

He shook his head. "No, that would likely raise too many questions regarding my sanity, too. I can just imagine the seamstresses trying to figure out why I'm showing up wearing _this_ and asking for new clothes and then, well, word getting to my counterpart and rumors spreading and causing a gigantic mess."

Ah. Yeah, that would be a problem. "So...?"

"Actually, I was thinking I might be better off skipping the middle few steps, sneaking into my mansion in Meltokio, pretending to be myself, grabbing a set of clothes, leaving, and no one being any wiser for it."

...Wait, what? Was he serious? "You want to steal from _yourself_?"

His eyebrows rose. "You have a better idea?"

Well, no, not at the moment, but this idea was pretty questionable, too! "What if you run into yourself there? What are you going to tell him?"

He shrugged. "Well, if we go early enough, the odds of running into him would probably be pretty slim. He'd either be sound asleep or out living it up on the town." His voice lowered. "Or at least pretending to be."

That wasn't very convincing. "And if he's _not_ asleep or out on the town?"

"If he's not, then I don't let him see me so I don't have to talk to him and explain who I am," Zelos replied. "It's a big mansion. I know my way around. All I have to do is get to my room, grab a set of clothes, and get out. Piece of cake. I _have_ had ninja training, y'know, so I _can_ do stealth when I want to."

Sheena gaped at him. "You've had _ninja training_?"

"Kinda had to before I could become chief consort. Not _full_ training, mind you, but I picked up plenty." He smirked. "Thus making me even more awesome than I already was."

She rolled her eyes, but she couldn't help smiling at that. "Yeah, right. Whatever. In any case, I _could_ always ask a ninja here to go there instead and get some clothes for you. They might have more luck getting around undetected."

He gave her a pointed look. "Maybe, but be honest with me: do you _really_ want to get your fellow ninjas involved in this?"

Oh, right. Back to that. "Well, no, but—"

"I can do this, Sheena," he replied before she could finish. "Honest. And if Sebastian sees me, he'll just think I'm his Zelos. I mean, if I can't pass as myself here, then who _can_ I pass as?"

Hm. Her gut was still telling her this was a bad idea and would never work, but she was having trouble figuring out why. Regardless, one problem at least was pretty obvious. She motioned at him. "Well, your hair _is_ pretty short compared to how long my world's Zelos always kept his..."

Zelos grinned. "Heh. You wanna know why I cut it this short? When Sophia was three months old, she decided she _loved_ my hair, so much so that she started pulling it every chance she could. _Hard._ And, worse, she refused to let go without bawling her head off. After about a hundred times of that happening and my trying to get her to stop, I started cringing every time she reached for me—which, well, also made her start crying, thinking Daddy didn't love her anymore. Needless to say, since I couldn't have _that_ , I took the plunge and chopped it all off, at least until she was a little older...although with another kidlet on the way soon, I might have to wait awhile longer before I can grow it out again." He shrugged. "You insisted it didn't look that bad."

"It doesn't. It actually looks really good on you like that." Sheena had said the words aloud before she'd even realized it, and she quickly looked away, blushing and cringing at her slip.

She fully expected him to take advantage of that to gloat about it, flaunting how 'handsome' and 'manly' he was and how much she loved seeing his 'pretty face' and 'pretty hair,' but instead of doing that, he just smiled. "I'm actually really glad to hear you approve, because it means my wife might not have been lying about that to make me feel better about having to cut it." He cleared his throat. "In any case, this should be a quick in and out of my mansion. If the other me isn't home, it'll be even quicker and easier."

Sheena still didn't like this, not one bit, but she didn't have any other ideas. He was right: if he was going to be here a week, he needed clothes that looked normal on him or it would probably start worldwide rumors about how the Chosen of Tethe'alla had completely lost his mind and become a ninja, something that would cause problems not only for him and his alternate (not that she cared what kind of discomforts 'her' Zelos had to suffer, but it ran the risk she'd have to _see_ him again if he hunted her down searching for the truth behind the rumors), but for Mizuho itself. People might actually start trying to find the village again if they thought the Chosen was spending time here...and Mizuho had more than enough problems to deal with already. Adding even more to them wasn't an option.

She sighed, her decision made. She dreaded it, but since this Zelos was here because of her, she couldn't help feeling obligated to do so. "Okay, fine. If you think it'll work, then we'll do it your way. And I...I'll come with you."

His eyebrows rose. "You don't have to, Sheena. Really. I do know my way there and back without getting lost or in any other kind of trouble."

"I know," she quickly replied. "But it's my fault you're here, and there are still a lot of monsters out there, and I feel responsible for making sure nothing happens to you so you get back home to your family safely, so..."

"Sheena, I've told you already, this isn't your fault."

"But it _is_ , Zelos," she countered. Nothing he said could convince her otherwise. "And besides, it's been a long time since I was last in Meltokio. It...it'll be good to get out of Mizuho for awhile."

Zelos eyed her carefully. "You do realize if you come with me, you run the risk of running into your 'me.'"

 _Ugh, don't remind me,_ her mind returned, but she didn't say that aloud. "I wouldn't actually set foot in your mansion! I'd just wait for you outside." She motioned at him. "And besides, you seemed pretty certain he won't see you."

"Well, the truth is I don't know if he will or not," he said. "I _doubt_ it, but I can't guarantee it because, well, obviously I parted ways with the man years ago ago. Not that I'm particularly inclined to like him after hearing what he did to you, no matter how many similarities we might or might not still share."

Huh. She'd never thought she'd see the day when Zelos expressed reservations about 'himself' and took _her_ side regarding her opinion of him. "In any case, I'm willing to take that chance. When do you want to go?"

"Right away, if possible. I don't want to spend much time here and risk having too many villagers questioning you about my sudden appearance and why I'm dressed like this. The sooner I get some clothes that look more like me, the better."

She nodded. "Okay. Then let's finish cleaning up from breakfast and we'll head out."

"Sounds good."

0~*~0


	3. Day 1, Part 2: The Repercussions

**Day 1, Part 2: The Repercussions**

Skin. Warm, smooth, soft, fragrant, delicious skin. It was addictive. It was one of his favorite things in the world, the feel of a woman's perfect skin beneath his lips; it was one of the main reasons he kept going back for more. It didn't hurt that it was usually accompanied by the feeling of a woman's arms encompassing him, by the warmth of a pliant body pressed against his, by the feel of gentle yet needy hands woven through his hair, by the soft curves he felt beneath his fingers. It wasn't about the woman he was with—usually he couldn't even recall her name—and he certainly felt nothing for her, but the enticing sensations kept drawing him back for more, more, more. He craved it...he _needed_ it: the acceptance, the pleasure...

...The illusion, if only for a fleeting moment, of being loved and needed.

The woman Zelos had chosen for this particular morning rendezvous giggled as he trailed his lips down the warm, soft skin of her stomach, her hands caressing his scalp and guiding his head, impatiently trying to push him lower, his hands curving around her hips to hold her steady while he attempted to kiss every inch of her skin, the blanket that covered him hiding him from her view. There was still too many scraps of silk covering too much of her skin for his liking, but right now he was taking his time with this, letting the physical sensations tune out his mind, enjoying every second of this pleasurable distraction. He had gotten over feeling guilty about this years ago; after all, the women always enjoyed it, too, and the way he figured it, if they were willing and eager for this, then why not use them? No, these were the blissful moments he now lived for, the moments when he could forget everything bad that had ever happened to him, live in the moment, feel as human as everyone else, and let himself revel in the mindless, addictive pleasure.

Everything was blurring together, drowning out all thought from his mind: lips, hands, breasts, muscles, tangled limbs, taste, scent, moans, the twisting of the silky sheets surrounding them... He paused briefly as he heard a soft sound, a click as if his bedroom door had opened, but he couldn't see anything past the sheet covering him. He listened a moment but didn't hear anything else, and, deciding he was imagining things, he resumed trailing kisses over the woman's skin, turned on by her encouraging moans. After all, Sebastian would never dare interrupt them; he knew the routine, and if he had something to say, he would've at least knocked _._ And if it wasn't Sebastian, then there was no one else it could possibly be.

He continued his ministrations another minute, slowly working his way southward, closer to his goal, the woman's fingers tightening in his hair, when suddenly her hands stilled and her moans ceased.

"Chosen!" While that was a normal gasp to hear from whichever woman he was currently with, what followed that was definitely _not_ normal. "Oooh...you have a twin! I had no idea!"

...Say what? Zelos froze, confusion sweeping over him. "What? No, I don't—"

"Oooh, can he join us? Please, please? Pretty please?"

The woman tugged at his head, trying to urge him upward. It took him a moment to grasp not only what she was saying and doing, but what it meant: _there was someone else in the room with them._ Pushing the sheet off of him, he looked up...right into the absolute _last_ face he had _ever_ expected to see: his own.

And it was absolutely livid.

" _Whoa!_ " he cried out, startled. He quickly pushed himself off of the woman and backed away on the bed, his mind frantically trying to figure out if he was going crazy or if he was really seeing what he thought he was seeing. "What the...?! Who the hell are _you_?!"

The nameless woman looked at him, grinning like a dog who'd suddenly found itself with two bones, and then at his fuming doppelganger, and then finally back at him. "Well, isn't it obvious?" she chirped gleefully. "He looks exactly like you, Chosen! You must have a twin!"

...Was she really that daft? "I don't _have_ a twin!"

His doppelganger, who looked like he had smoke coming out of his ears, suddenly pointed at the door. "Get out," he demanded, his voice soft but frighteningly intense.

"Are you _sure_ you don't have a twin, Chosen?" the woman said. "Because he really looks like—"

" _Positive_ ," Zelos said.

" _Get out_ ," his doppelganger repeated.

What the _hell_?! " _You_ get out!" Zelos said, pointing at the door. "This is _my_ bedroom, bucko, and I'm a bit busy here right now!"

"I wasn't talking to _you_ ," the other him said. "I was talking to _her_."

The woman blinked at him blankly. "But he looks _exactly_ like you!"

It had been a long time since Zelos had last seen anyone look that _mad,_ and it had been even longer since he'd seen that look aimed at _him,_ and...well, he wasn't sure he'd _ever_ seen his own face that twisted with pure rage. But it _wasn't_ his face—his face was still safely attached to his own beautiful body—it just _looked_ like his face...although the hair was all wrong, even if it was the right color...agh, his head hurt. Could this guy be Matthew Fenimore? No, Matthew wasn't handsome enough to pass as him. Some other guy, then? He didn't know, but whoever he was, one thing was sure: he was trouble.

"Err...maybe you should get out of here, hunny," he said. If the guy was looking to kill him, then he didn't want this woman here, risking her life in the process. He was nothing, after all, if not a chivalrous gentleman. Not to mention that many blood stains would be a nightmare for Sebastian to try to clean up.

But the woman still seemed to be stuck on the fact that _the guy looked exactly like him._ "Are you _sure_ he won't join us?" she whined.

The other 'him' eyed her in obvious disgust. "You couldn't _pay_ me to get in bed with you, _hunny_."

Zelos cringed at his derogatory tone. How did this guy have his _voice_ , too?! What the _hell_ was going on here? "Just go, okay?" he urged the woman. "Let me deal with this."

She pouted at him in a way that...well, okay, it really did look pathetic and childish. "Well, okay, but I don't think you two should be fighting over me! I think we should just have fun together! I mean, he's just as handsome as you are...even if he is wearing some really strange, unflattering clothes...and his hair is _so_ short..."

"Go," his doppelganger repeated, pointing again at the door. "Now."

The woman looked back at Zelos and batted her eyelashes at him seductively. "You'll see me later and we can finish this then, right, Chosen?"

The other 'him' cut him off before he could answer. "No, he _won't_ see you later. Or ever again, if he knows what's good for him."

Okay, this was getting ridiculous. Who the hell was this guy, and _how_ _dare_ he make declarations like that? What—and who—Zelos did or did not choose to do was _none of his damn business._ "Hey, isn't that _my_ decision to make?"

" _Go_!" his alternate shouted at the woman, gesturing even more forcefully at the door. "Before I have to blow up this bed to get rid of you!"

"Okay, okay!" the woman said, sliding out of bed. Thankfully, Zelos hadn't gotten around to removing the last of her undergarments yet, so she still had enough clothes on to appear semi-decent...although considering how she'd been begging him to invite this guy to join them, he didn't think she would've cared if he'd seen even more than this.

"Go on, get out of here," his alternate prodded, nearly shoving her toward the door.

The woman, however, still apparently didn't realize the urgency of the situation, for she cast another look back at Zelos, waving to him. "Bye, Chosen! It's been loads of fun! I'll be sure to see you again later—"

" _Out_ ," his doppelganger said, grabbing her clothes from the floor and shoving them in her face. " _Now_."

"I'm going, I'm going!" The woman abruptly turned and looked back at him, her eyes wide. "You aren't going to hurt him, are you?"

"I can't promise that." Her face fell, but before she could protest, Zelos's alternate rolled his eyes, cast a spell— _that was definitely Wind Blade—_ and the door slammed shut in her face, louder than was technically necessary, making Zelos wince at the sound. Next he knew, his doppelganger was looking back at him where he still sat on the bed, gaping and trying to figure out what was going on, and pointed at the closed door. " _Greta?! Really?!_ Of all the women you could have, you picked _her_ , the most despicable, conniving whore to walk the streets of Meltokio?!"

Okay, so this guy definitely wasn't Matthew, then, because if he was, he'd be chasing after that chick for himself, trying to seduce her; he wouldn't be berating Zelos's taste in women. "Yeah, so?" he replied as nonchalantly as he could manage considering...oh, right, he didn't have any clothes on. This was a bit awkward and uncomfortable and he'd be beating this guy up, whoever he was, except being naked made him feel a little too, er, _vulnerable_. "She's a great lay. Very enthusiastic and always eager to please. So what's your point? What the hell right do _you_ have to barge in here and kick her out like that? I could arrest you for breaking and entering! And who the hell are you and why the hell do you look like me?"

"You're disgusting," the other 'him' seethed. "And I don't have to answer your questions."

What the...? "Like _hell_ you don't! I don't care _who_ you look like, this is _my_ house!"

His doppelganger waved that off in disgust and headed toward the door. "Ugh. I'm leaving before I kill you. _Or castrate you_."

It was then, as the man who looked like him turned to leave, that Zelos noted he was carrying something beneath his arm...and then he noted how odd this guy's clothes really were, looking an awful lot like... _ninja clothes?_ "Wait a minute, are you... _are you stealing my clothes?!_ " His alternate didn't answer that and instead threw open the bedroom door. Taking a page from his book, Zelos immediately cast Wind Blade, slamming the door shut before he could leave. "Oh, I don't think so, bucko! What the hell are you doing, looking like me and stealing my clothes?!"

His alternate turned back to him, his blue eyes—those were _his_ eyes, too!—an icy flame. "Don't worry. You'll get these back in a week. Now I know you're going to be an idiot and pretend you didn't hear this, but _Don't. Follow. Me_. Got it?"

"Like _hell_!"

"Yeah, thought so." Before Zelos could so much as crawl out of bed and chase after him, his alternate caught him off guard with another well-placed Wind Blade that threw him to the floor. By the time he managed to scramble to his feet again, the guy was already out the door.

Zelos made to follow him, but he stopped as he realized again that he really _didn't_ have any clothes on; he wouldn't get far like that, not without making an awful lot of tongues wag. Hell, he'd probably make the front page of the paper, complete with a hugely embarrassing photograph, if he stepped outside looking like this. With a curse, he grabbed his white pants and black shirt from the chair beside the bed and put them on as quickly as he could, trying not to trip as he headed to the door, following the guy who looked almost exactly like him.

"Hey, wait!" But upon emerging from his bedroom, he found his alternate was already downstairs, throwing open the door and stepping outside. Needing to catch up to him before he could get too far, Zelos jumped off of the balcony, landed on his couch, and hurried after him. He was _not_ letting this creep get away. "Hey, I said _stop_!"

Naturally, the guy didn't stop.

Zelos rushed outside...and instantly skidded to a stop at the sight awaiting him there. His doppelganger was standing with a dark-haired woman who definitely _wasn't_ Greta, telling her, "We have to go." The woman turned toward the mansion, her brown eyes narrowed, clearly trying to figure out what was going on...and in that moment, as Zelos's eyes met hers, he was positive his heart stopped. There, directly in front of him, was a face he hadn't seen in years and that he had done his absolute best to pretend never existed...but one that he couldn't possibly forget no matter how hard he tried.

" _Sheena_."

Her name was a mere whisper on his lips, wrested from him without his knowledge or permission. She looked exactly the same as she had when he'd last seen her, her hair up in the same messy ponytail, wearing the same clothes (although they had clearly seen better days), the same fire and life in her eyes that he'd always loved inciting in days gone by. Her eyes briefly widened in surprise at seeing him, but only a split second later coldness replaced it. His already confused mind couldn't make sense of any of this. What was she doing here? Was she here with that other guy who looked like him? If so, why? And what the _hell_ was going on here? His mind was struggling to figure it all out and process everything that had just happened, but it simply couldn't do so past his utter shock, and so instead all he could do was gape at them both.

His doppelganger looked back at him, scowling, still clearly livid, then quickly placed his hand to Sheena's back in a way that Zelos's mind identified as way too familiar—not to mention _possessive_ —and urged her to move. "C'mon, let's go."

Sheena continued staring at Zelos another moment, but then she abruptly turned back to his short-haired counterpart, nodded, and let him lead her away, drifting closer to him as she whispered, "Zelos, what happened? I thought you said he wouldn't be home."

"I was wrong."

"Obviously. And I thought we agreed if he _was_ home, you were gonna avoid him."

"Sorry. Couldn't help myself."

Zelos gaped at them another moment as they swiftly walked away, but thankfully his senses were finally returning to him...even if he still had no idea what was going on. "Hey, wait!" he called after them. "I said _wait_ , damn it! You owe me a huge explanation here!" He started following them, even though they were clearly making a point to ignore him, but then he stepped on a stone, slicing the bottom of his foot open...aw, _crap_ , he needed shoes before he could follow them! With another uttered curse, he hurried back inside, yelling for Sebastian to find him some socks _now,_ and went for his boots...shit, they weren't there! He'd have to go hunting for a spare set. And...wait, where was the sword he always left by the door? _That_ was missing, too? What, had his doppelganger taken them on his way out?

He cursed again, and then rushed to storage to find replacements. It took him far too long—and he felt bad for being so pushy and demanding of Sebastian to help him now, now, _now_ —but he couldn't help it; he _had_ to catch up to those two. Finally, though, he was running out of his house again. Naturally, he didn't see them anywhere, but his gut was telling him if his doppelganger was with Sheena, then they were likely heading toward Mizuho. That meant, if he took a shortcut to the northeast and out of town, he might be able to cut them off—assuming, of course, they had used the main entrance.

Catching up to them, he found, required use not only of the shortcut, but of his wings. Finally, though, just a little before the bridge, he touched down on the ground again as he saw them. "Hey, stop!" he called after them, running as fast as he could to reach them. "I said, _stop_!" But still the guy who looked unnervingly like him ignored him—and even Sheena, when she glanced back at him, gave him a look that was still cold, distant, wary, and reflected definite disgust and anger. She didn't stop either, though, and after a moment she looked back at her companion as they continued walking. "Hey!" Desperate times called for desperate measures, and needing to make his point that he _demanded_ their attention, he threw a fireball at them, intentionally missing them; while he'd have no qualms about hitting the other 'him,' Sheena was walking too close to the guy for him to take that risk.

"Ignore him," his alternate instructed her. "That idiot would never actually hit you."

The fact that the man had just accurately pegged that made him pause, but then he started running forward again. "Sheena, stop! He isn't me! _I'm_ the real Zelos Wilder! That man is a fake! _He isn't me!_ "

And finally, _finally_ , Sheena stopped, sighed, and turned back toward him, her eyes fiery and disgusted, even while her tone was cold and flat as she spoke two simple words: " _I know_."

Zelos stopped short, blinking at her blankly. She _did_? Then what was she...why was she...? "What? You do?"

"Yeah, I do."

Incredulous, he motioned at the man who looked like him who had kept walking even though she had stopped. "Who is he? Why does he look exactly like me?!"

Her eyes slid shut, her face twisting with obvious frustration, then she looked back at her companion. "Zelos, wait. I don't think he's gonna give up."

His alternate finally stopped, his expression still furious as he turned back toward them. "Of course not," he muttered. "That would be asking too much of him." He hesitated another moment, but then he walked back toward them, standing unnaturally close to Sheena... _and she let him_ , Zelos noted with a flare of jealousy. "I thought I told you not to follow me."

The man didn't know a thing about him if he'd really thought _that_ would happen. "You're wearing my face, you're stealing my clothes, you're with..." he motioned at Sheena, " _her,_ and you really expect me not to try to figure out what the hell is going on and what game you're playing at?!"

His doppelganger pointed back at Meltokio, his face nearly twitching with his anger. "Walk away. Right now."

_Not gonna happen._ "No. Who are you? _Who the hell are you?!_ " When his alternate didn't answer, just continued glaring at him, he turned to Sheena. He _needed_ answers. "And _you_...if you know I'm the real Zelos Wilder, then why are you with him? Who is he?" Sheena folded her arms to her chest and looked away from him without answering, but her face was bright red—funny, how much he'd missed seeing that—and for a moment he thought he saw something flicker in her eyes...but he had no idea what it was. And suddenly he noticed a glint from his alternate's hand—was that a _wedding ring_? Wait...could it be? He looked sharply back at Sheena, his eyes narrowing. "Is he Orochi? Are you ninjas up to something, trying to frame me for something, so he dressed up like me and needed my clothes to complete the disguise?"

His alternate's brows furrowed as he looked at Sheena. "He doesn't know?"

Her face, likewise, reflected obvious confusion as she shook her head. "I guess not. But then, I suppose, how could he?"

The other 'him' tilted his head, conceding that. "Good point."

"Know what?" Zelos demanded, but again they didn't reply. " _Know what?!_ "

"If you don't already know, then I'm not gonna answer that," his alternate said.

Gee, they were keeping something else a secret from him. What a shocker. But right now he needed answers to certain questions first and foremost; he would worry about the rest later. "Why are you pretending to look like me? What's your end game? What do you want? Are you planning to blackmail me? If you aren't Orochi, which I still don't believe, then you have to be another ninja from Mizuho, especially if you're with Sheena, and especially if you're wearing _that_." He motioned at his alternate's ninja clothes. "But if you're trying to pose as me, then you're doing a horrible job of it, because my hair is _far_ more glamorous and gorgeous than yours." His doppelganger glared at him as he flipped his long red hair back, but he didn't say anything...although the fire, rage, and hatred in his eyes said plenty. In fact, Zelos figured he would be alarmed by it if only he wasn't so completely pissed at seeing his own face plastered on someone else's body, someone who was with _Sheena_. "What's the matter, nothing to say about your poor job trying to imitate me? You're too jealous of how much better I look to even respond?" _When in doubt, fall back on snarkiness_ , he'd learned years ago; it tended to throw people off their guard, which usually worked in his favor. Still his doppelganger didn't reply, though, and Zelos figured it couldn't hurt to try pleading with Sheena again. "C'mon, Sheena, you gotta admit, I look a hell of a lot better than _this_ loser, so what're you doing with him?"

"Ignore him," his alternate finally said, gently grabbing Sheena's arm and tugging on it. "Let's go."

Sheena nodded. "Good idea." The two turned and resumed walking away from him.

Zelos gaped at them. Seriously? That was all he got: _nothing_? Well, fine then. He'd just have to do this the hard way. "Y'know, I'm not just gonna let anyone run around with _my beautiful face_ without fighting them for it." And then he did what he'd really hoped he wouldn't have to do: he drew his sword.

The other 'him' slowed, and Zelos could've sworn he heard the man growl as he closed his eyes. "You don't want to do that."

" _Try me_."

His alternate opened his eyes, handed the bundle of clothes— _his_ clothes...and his missing shoes, too!—to Sheena, who took them without a word. He then pulled out his sword—which was also definitely Zelos's—and Zelos charged at him, prepared to try to beat some sense into the guy and finally get some much-needed answers. In a flash, though, the other 'him' suddenly spun around, parried Zelos's attack, and then, in a swift, fluid move that left Zelos completely stunned, disarmed him and pressed the tip of the sword to his neck.

Zelos's eyes widened and he gulped, feeling a tiny trickle of blood running down his neck. "That was a ninja move," he said. "You really _are_ Orochi, aren't you?"

His doppelganger didn't answer that, though; he just continued glaring at him, his face twitching, clearly fuming, as Sheena walked over to them, looking surprisingly alarmed. "If I kill him, would it be murder or suicide?" the man asked her.

She quickly grabbed his arm to stop him. "Neither. We aren't going to find out. He's not worth it, Zelos."

Zelos's alternate considered that a moment, his eyes narrowing even more sharply. "You're right. He's not." He lowered the sword from Zelos's neck, looking him over. "But I also know him well enough to know he won't leave us alone, either. He's just gonna keep following us."

" _You're_ the one who talked to him," Sheena muttered.

"Yeah, don't remind me," he grumbled. "It wasn't my best idea ever. I just couldn't help myself."

Zelos still wasn't following _any_ of this, but there was one thing he _did_ know. "Well, you're right. I'm gonna keep following you. That's _my_ face you're wearing, and damn it, _I want answers!_ "

"Answers you aren't getting, because Sheena's right: you're a manwhore who isn't worth the time or effort," his alternate replied.

Zelos shrugged, brushing that off. He'd had far worse insults thrown at him throughout his miserable life. "Call me what you will, but I'm not leaving."

The other 'him' shrugged. "Fine, then. Have it your way. If you won't leave us alone, then I'll _make_ you leave us alone."

Zelos braced himself, on the alert, ready for another fight...when out of nowhere, a fist came straight at his face, so quick that he didn't have time to anticipate or block it, even with his Cruxis crystal-enhanced angel senses. A second later it smashed into Zelos's nose, accompanied by a sickening crunching sound. All the breath was knocked from his lungs, and he stumbled backward, falling down to the ground and crying out at the intense, blinding fire and pain that erupted in his head.

"There," he heard his own voice saying smugly. " _Now_ he'll leave us alone."

Zelos moaned as he forced himself to sit up, covering his throbbing, agonizing face with his hands, and peered up at them. Sheena gaped down at him a moment, her eyes wide with shock, before looking back at his alternate. "I think you just broke his nose."

"I _know_ I did," his alternate replied, cradling his clenched fist to his chest. Zelos could see a bit of blood on it, and while it must be hurting him, he still smirked down at Zelos vindictively. "That's for Sheena, for what you did to her. You deserved that. And for jumping into bed with _Greta_ , of all the crazy Meltokio bitches you could've picked up." Zelos could only gape at him, still in far too much pain to respond. "You'll want to head back to Meltokio and get that fixed before your precious face is permanently disfigured." His alternate took a threatening step closer, towering over him, looking down at him with pure disgust. "And if I ever see you again, if you follow us or try to find us, I _will_ kill you, and I think you've seen enough to know I'm capable of it." He glared down at Zelos another moment, then he suddenly looked back at Sheena, took the clothes and the shoes from her, and motioned at the bridge. "C'mon, sweetheart. Let's get out of here. I want nothing more to do with this idiot."

For a moment, Sheena just stared back at Zelos, who was still sitting on the ground, trying to wait for the worst of the pain to pass before he attempted to stand. She was hesitating, he noted, a look in her dark eyes that he was having trouble deciphering, likely because of the blinding pain in his skull. What was that? Sympathy? Guilt? Anger? Hatred? Disgust? Confusion? He didn't know, but he gave her a hopeful look that she would care enough to check on him and make sure he was okay. Without warning, though, her face hardened and she turned, following the other 'him' away. Zelos's heart sank even further. Yeah, okay, so he really didn't deserve her pity or sympathy, did he?

Once Sheena had caught up with her companion, though, her face softened as she grabbed his arm, forcing him to stop. "Hey, are you okay?" she asked. "I've never seen you that upset before."

Zelos's doppelganger sighed and turned toward her, his face likewise softening a bit. He cast another disgusted glance at Zelos before looking back at Sheena. His voice lowered when he spoke, but thanks to his angel senses, Zelos could still hear him loud and clear. "I've often wondered these past few years what my life would've looked like and who I would've become if I hadn't had you. The last thing I ever wanted, though, was to see it for myself firsthand like this."

Zelos was thoroughly confused by that—what the _hell_ was that guy talking about, _'If I hadn't had you'_?—but he still wasn't in any condition to vocalize the question. From his position, he could see Sheena's eyes widen slightly; she clearly had no idea how to respond to that. "O...oh."

"And while I know I wasn't cheating on you," the other 'him' went on, "seeing him with that woman, someone who was a thorn in our side for years...it sure felt like it. I'm sorry. I know I shouldn't have let him know I was there, but I just...I couldn't help myself. I don't want to see him again, because I don't want to think what I'd do to him the next time." Her lips parted as she continued staring at him, wide-eyed, and he sighed and touched her arm to get her moving again. "C'mon. Right now I just want to go home."

She nodded hesitantly, her eyes still wide. Zelos's doppelganger turned and resumed walking, but Sheena lingered behind a moment, looking back at Zelos, her expression an indecipherable jumble of emotions. And once again, his hope rose that she would come back and help him up, or at least check on him...even as his confusion returned, noting, at the oddest of moments, that she wasn't wearing a wedding ring—which made no sense given his current theory that the guy she was with was Orochi. But then suddenly she turned, hurried after the other 'him,' and soon enough, they were gone, vanishing into the distance.

With a grunt, Zelos pushed himself to his feet, the throbbing heat and pain in his head nearly unbearable, making it impossible to think clearly. Nothing made sense... _nothing._ Everything was a blur of confusion, rage, and disappointment. He briefly considered following the two anyway, but that other him— _damn_ him—was right: he had to fix his face before he even _tried_ to go after them and get the answers he needed. There was no way, after all, that he'd be able to win another fight with that guy, not with the pain he was in. No, right now his best option was to retreat to Meltokio, fix his nose, figure out what the hell was going on and who that guy could possibly be, and _then_ try again. He already knew they were heading to Mizuho; that other 'him' had said 'home,' and Mizuho was Sheena's home. He didn't think the village had moved—although he couldn't vouch for that seeing as he'd been making a point not to pay attention to anything having to do with Sheena or Mizuho since they'd cut each other out of their lives all those years ago.

But even once he got his face fixed... _should_ he really follow them? Or should he leave them be? He was torn. That guy, whoever he was, had clearly had ninja training, because he'd moved so quickly that Zelos hadn't even been able to react in time to defend himself; he'd then threatened to kill him if he ever saw him again, and as much as Zelos's pride hated to admit it, he didn't know if he'd survive another encounter. And really, he didn't _want_ to see Sheena again; even now, his gut churned at all the memories flooding back to him, memories he'd made a point to push as far away as he could these past few years because of how horrible they made him feel. On the other hand, though, that guy had been _wearing his face_. What was he? A doppelganger? Had he been conjured by magic to look like Tethe'alla's Chosen? Was that a ninja disguise, as Zelos had suspected? And then, topping that off, that imposter had been with Sheena. _Sheena!_ As much as he never wanted to see her again and be reminded of everything he wanted to forget, he also _wanted_ to see her again, he suddenly realized. _Desperately,_ in fact. And then Sheena had been talking so _cordially_ to that guy who looked and sounded exactly like him. Heck, she'd even expressed _concern_ for that jerk, checking to see that he'd been okay! How did _that_ work?

...But right now he couldn't deal with this. He had no idea what was going on, and he wouldn't until he could think straight. That meant getting his face fixed and ridding himself of this blasted pain was his first order of business; after that he would decide his next move. Overwhelmed by fury, confusion, and frustration, Zelos suddenly threw a few fireballs at the grass, throwing up bits of dirt and grass into the air. Once the temper tantrum had alleviated a portion of his rage, he took a deep breath, trying to get himself under control, grabbed his sword where it had fallen a few feet away from him, and stalked back to Meltokio.

0~*~0

Zelos had been quiet and brooding ever since they'd left Meltokio, an attitude Sheena found unnerving. They were currently in the Gaoracchia Forest, nearly back at Mizuho, but the anger and frustration he was radiating made for a disturbing combination with the forest's dark, heavy atmosphere. To that point, though, Sheena hadn't tried to break the tension by talking to him, because...well, she didn't have a clue _how_ to talk to him when he was like this. She guessed he was still hung up on that earlier encounter with 'himself,' but she'd never known Zelos Wilder to let anything bother him this deeply, and so she had no idea what he was thinking. Usually he brushed everything off with a joke, as if he really didn't care, which was why seeing _this_ was so weird and unsettling. She may have been becoming more comfortable with him the longer they were together, but she had absolutely no idea how to act when he this upset. And honestly, if running into his alternate from this world really was what was bothering him, then that was _her_ fault since he'd only had to see him because of her silly wish...a thought that once again made her gut churn with guilt.

She wasn't sure what to do. She wasn't sure what to think about having seen her world's Zelos again, nor did she know how she felt about seeing him sitting there on the ground with a bloody, broken nose. He'd deserved it, yes, and she'd wanted to do that to him herself for years, but could she really blame him for being curious why there was another 'him' around? _She_ would've wanted answers if another 'her' suddenly showed up like that, acting as if everything was normal; heck, she was still confused by all of this and she knew what was going on! She also wasn't sure what to think about this man's earlier statement that the other Zelos was who he would've become 'if not for her'; had he meant that she—or at least another version of her—had been responsible for shaping him into the man he was? And, if that was true, then...would this world's Zelos be more like him if things had happened differently here? It was a thought she immediately pushed from her mind. There was no point dwelling on it now when it was years too late to change things. Instead, she focused on the long-buried anger that had bubbled up within her at seeing him again, remembering everything he had said and done to her, and with those images in mind, any pity she might have felt for him after being beat by his alternate—because that _had_ been an impressive ninja move this Zelos had used on him—had vanished. He really _had_ deserved that, after all. Ultimately, though, she just wished she hadn't had to see him at all.

But it was too late now; the damage had been done, and 'her' world's Zelos now knew there was a duplicate version of himself here with her. She just hoped he really would leave them alone and not try to sneak into Mizuho to get answers...she'd have to tell her people to be on the lookout for him and to kick him out if he showed up. Right now, though, dealing with him wasn't her primary objective. No, right now she was heading back to Mizuho with another, much more mature, 'husband' and 'father' version of Zelos who was stuck here for the next week...someone this latest incident had proven she still didn't know much about. She would have to change that because...well, as much as she hated to admit it, she was starting to like talking to him, and having to deal with this tension from him wasn't how she wanted to spend the rest of their week together.

She was still trying to figure out how best to cheer him up when, about a mile from Mizuho's gates, Zelos suddenly turned to her and held up his alternate's clothes, announcing that he was going to change. It would, after all, look much more believable for her to walk in there with him dressed like that rather than in Tatsuya's old clothes; as it was, too many villagers had probably already seen him dressed 'oddly' that morning when they'd left for Meltokio. Unable to argue that, Sheena had turned around, not wanting him to have to leave the path to get some privacy while changing...not like she hadn't seen nearly all of him earlier. And even as she waited, she couldn't help realizing that she was tempted to peek. He really was attractive, what with that lean but muscular body, and she couldn't deny she'd enjoyed looking at him like that. It was embarrassing, and wrong on so many levels, and she could feel herself blush as she envisioned the sight she'd seen earlier. He...well, he'd looked damn good, nearly naked like that...

She cleared her throat, trying to force that thought—and the accompanying images—from her mind, and trying not to be disappointed that she wouldn't get to see it again now. At least the fact that he'd prompted her to look away while he changed had proven he was more modest than 'her' Zelos was. Or maybe he was just uncomfortable changing in front of a woman who wasn't his wife? She didn't know, and really, it wasn't important. In a minute the rustling of clothes ceased and he told her it was safe to turn around again. And then there he was, dressed in Zelos Wilder's usual white, black, and pink attire...although she wasn't sure the shorter hair went as well with the look as the long hair did. Regardless, he motioned at Mizuho, and they resumed walking.

Several times during their walk Sheena had found herself amazed at how surely his footsteps were taking him, with him almost _guiding_ her back, even though his Mizuho had apparently moved a few years ago. It was yet another indication that he truly had lived here for years, if he was this comfortable finding it. And once again she found herself wanting to talk to him, to get rid of his remaining tension, get to know _this_ Zelos better, and learn more about his world. This seemed like a good time to start.

"So," she began, hoping he wouldn't cut her attempted conversation short with a one-word answer, "how many times have you walked this path?"

Thankfully, enough time had apparently passed since the Meltokio incident for him to begin relaxing, for he smiled faintly at her. "Honestly? I lost count years ago. Mizuho was located here a long time in my world."

"You've called it 'home' a few times now." It was something she'd noted because she had never believed she would hear _Zelos Wilder_ talking about a 'backwater village' in such a familiar way.

"That's because it is," he replied. "No matter where it's located, Mizuho is my home. I don't remember when it happened, but at some point you became my home, and since Mizuho was _your_ home, it became mine, too."

That was incredible. "And you're happy there?"

Zelos shrugged. "Well, there are things about it that took some major adjusting to, and Mizuho holds to a lot of traditions that I still question because there _has_ to be an easier way to do them, but...yeah. In time I grew to love it—not only the village, but the people, too. They're family now, just as much as my own family is. I wouldn't trade it for anything."

And that was even more incredible. She couldn't question it, though, because he truly seemed to mean that. But then another question she'd been wrestling with for hours, trying to decide whether or not to ask him, popped into her mind again, and this time she couldn't help herself. She wasn't sure this was a good idea, nor was she sure she'd like the answer, but she had to know. She looked down at the path awkwardly. "Zelos, can I ask you something?"

"Wow, I haven't heard _that_ in awhile." Not sure what he was talking about, she gave him a puzzled look, and he chuckled and waved that off. "My Sheena always used to preface serious, usually rather difficult, questions like that, too. It took awhile, but I finally got her to stop asking _permission_ to ask the question and just _ask_ it."

"...Oh."

"So my answer is yes, _of course_ you can. You can ask me anything, Sheena."

Sheena was pretty sure she was blushing again, but she did get the point. It was just so... _strange..._ knowing Zelos, a man who'd always joked off questions he didn't want to answer, was willing to be so forthcoming with her. "Okay. Um, the way you were talking about Mizuho this morning, I...I got the impression that your Mizuho is very different than mine."

He nodded, his voice lowering. "Yeah, I got that impression, too."

_Okay, Sheena, just ask the question that's really on your mind._ "In your world, people like Orochi, Grandpa, Sadako, and Michi are alive, right?"

"Right," he said, his eyes narrowing a bit.

"How is that possible? How could something as simple as you and me dating change that?"

Zelos looked back at the path, considering that, but then he shook his head. "I don't know. To answer that, I guess I'd need to know how they died here."

He was probably right about that. And that meant, if she really wanted that question answered, she needed to suck it up and tell him, no matter how hard this was to talk about. "Mizuho was poisoned a few years ago, and...and quite a few of our people didn't survive it. Other than Michi, they were all victims of that." She looked at him again. "I take it that didn't happen in your world?"

His eyes narrowed further, and he shook his head. "No, actually that _did_ happen in our world."

It did? She didn't understand. "And yet Orochi and Grandpa didn't die then?"

He shook his head. "No, they survived it."

"How could that have played out so differently that they're still alive there?" she whispered, more to herself than to him.

Zelos fell silent a moment before looking back at her. "Sheena, exactly how many people died here during the poisoning?"

"A lot."

"Yeah, I got that. But seriously, how many?"

In her mind's eye, she saw the long list of names of all the people killed that day written on the memorial in their cemetery, and her stomach lurched. She glanced at him but quickly looked away again, her voice growing even softer. "Maybe the better question is how many people _didn't_ die during it."

"Okay...?"

"We had thirty-five people left afterward."

He abruptly stopped walking, his jaw dropping in horror. " _Thirty-five people_?! Only _thirty-five people_ survived that? Are you telling me well over a hundred people died here that day?"

Sheena likewise stopped and looked back at him, alarmed by _his_ alarm. And suddenly, she was dreading hearing the answer to this question. "Why? How many people died in your world?"

He gaped at her in silence, just watching her, aghast, before murmuring, "Not nearly that many."

She blinked at him a few times, waiting for him to continue, but he didn't. "Zelos, how many?" she pressed.

Zelos fell silent again as he continued watching her, but suddenly he shook his head and resumed walking. "Actually, Sheena, I don't think it's a good idea for me to answer that question. No good can come from you hearing about that."

Uh uh. Absolutely not. There was no way she was letting that drop. She hurried ahead until she was standing in his way, making it impossible for him to avoid her. "Damn it, Zelos, don't try to coddle me or protect me from the truth! How many people died during the poisoning in your world?"

He eyed her again, but then finally sighed in defeat. "Nine."

Sheena was floored. Only nine people had died there that day. She felt sick. "Are you saying that just because we weren't dating in this world, all those lives were saved?! How could our worlds have played out that differently?"

"I told you, a lot changed for us both that night at the party," he replied, giving her a pointed look. "I wasn't kidding about that. I just...I didn't realize how far-reaching the repercussions had been."

"No kidding," she whispered, her gaze falling to his black shirt before she cleared her throat and met his eyes again. "So how did so many of the villagers survive in your world?"

"We managed to figure out the cause, find the antidote, and make it in time." Zelos tilted his head. "Well, okay, _you_ figured out the cause and found the cure before I ever got here to do all the grunt work putting it together. And if you hadn't...well, there was no way I could've done that part on my own, not with my limited knowledge of your language at the time. And I suspect if Orochi had been the one to get there first, he wouldn't have been able to figure all of that out in time, either, although I was glad he showed up when he did to help me out with all the rest. We were just lucky you managed to identify it before you fell sick yourself."

Her eyes widened. 'Before you fell sick yourself'? "Are you saying I was poisoned in your world?"

He nodded. "You were unconscious by the time I got there and found you. It nearly killed me, finding you like that." His voice lowered and his face grew grim. "That was one of the worst days of my life. If you had died, I...well, even after all these years, I still don't want to think about what would've happened to me."

"Yeah, I know the feeling," she murmured, her stomach churning as her own memories from that day resurfaced. "Very well, in fact." He arched a prompting eyebrow at her, and she sighed. She supposed he should know this, too. "I wasn't poisoned here. In fact, I wasn't even in the village when it happened. By the time we got to Mizuho, figured it out, and made the antidote, it was too late, and we were only able to save a handful of people. Everyone else was already dead. Most of the people left in Mizuho today hadn't been in the village when it happened...in fact, most of them had been out looking for Michi at the time, seeing as he'd just run away the week before that."

Zelos watched her a moment before nodding, and they resumed walking toward Mizuho. "So I take Orochi was one of the villagers poisoned that day?"

Sheena swallowed hard. She was starting to feel nauseous remembering all these things she had tried not to think about the past few years. "No. He and I were in Ozette when it happened. He...um, he died from something else at the same time."

"I'm so sorry, Sheena."

The pain on his face told her he really meant that. She shook her head. "Don't apologize. It wasn't your fault." _It was mine_ , her mind added, but she bit her tongue before she could say that aloud. Instead, she cleared her throat and quickly went on, needing to get off of the subject of Orochi. "Anyway, Grandpa was one of the villagers poisoned that day, and I couldn't save him in time. He hadn't finished training me to be his successor yet, though, and without Orochi, I...I couldn't take on the role of chief all on my own. I wasn't ready for it. Tiga was one of the few we were able to save with the antidote, and after he'd recovered, I asked him to become chief instead. And he did."

"Heh," Zelos uttered without any trace of humor. "Yeah, I don't blame you for turning it down, given the circumstances."

"At least Tiga knew what he was doing since he'd basically been chief in everything but name while Grandpa was in that coma. And besides, he had better skills than I did at keeping a village with only 35 survivors going."

So basically everything in that other world had gone differently because Zelos, likely dropping by to visit his Sheena at the time, had found Mizuho after it had been poisoned and was able to save her people, whereas in her world, Zelos had never had a reason to come here so he hadn't. It was amazing...and depressing. So...if she and this world's Zelos had been dating at the time, would the same thing have happened here? Could this whole nightmare have been avoided if things in this world had played out more like they had in this Zelos's world? The thought was disturbing and did nothing to alleviate the sick feeling that had settled in the pit of her stomach.

Fortunately, Zelos chose that moment to shift the subject a bit. "So how is Mizuho doing?"

"Not well."

Sheena swallowed again, her throat suddenly very dry. She wasn't sure why she was telling him all of this, these things she'd never wanted to think about again. She hadn't even told Lloyd or Colette the details of what had happened here that day. She'd mentioned that Mizuho had been poisoned, but she hadn't wanted to worry them or go to them for help—even if Tiga _had_ given her permission to tell them, a request he'd soundly rejected—and so she'd downplayed the severity of the incident and its impact on her people In fact, she'd even gone so far—again, at Tiga's insistence, because he'd been distrustful of all outsiders after the poisoning, Lloyd included, and had refused to let anyone into the village until they'd discovered who had poisoned them, which had taken them years—as to tell her friends that Mizuho had moved and they weren't disclosing its new location to anyone. She wasn't sure Lloyd had bought it, but he hadn't pressed the issue since he'd been focused on his quest to collect Exspheres at the time. But this Zelos...for some reason, she felt comfortable talking to him about this. Maybe it was because he obviously loved Mizuho dearly, maybe even as much as she did? And that he knew it—and her—intimately? At least Tiga couldn't reject Zelos for being an 'outsider' since he really wasn't. Whatever it was, her level of comfort with him was loosening her tongue, and she couldn't resist sharing this.

"Mizuho is dying, Zelos," she said, her voice soft. "We've lost so many villagers, so many friends...we've barely made it these past few years. We're losing more people than we're gaining. Six people have died since the poisoning, and we've only had one birth. Conditions here are bad. We don't have enough people left who are capable of doing all the work that needs to be done. Tiga said if something doesn't change in the next few months, we'll have to find another village to take us in for the winter. And so far it's been a bad summer. We've had storms that have wrecked a lot of our crops and damaged our buildings. And if we leave and merge with another village, we'll lose ourselves as a people. We've made it through a lot of tragedies, but this...unless we stay together, we won't come back from this. Mizuho will be gone for good, just like that creep who poisoned us wanted." Her voice wavered and she swallowed hard, fighting back the tears building in her eyes. "I don't know what we're going to do. Maybe Mizuho's demise is inevitable, but...I can't bear to see it happen."

Zelos eyed her again as they continued walking, contemplating that, then turned back to the path. "That's why you made the wish tag, isn't it?"

Sheena lowered her head, blushing, and nodded. "It wasn't just because I was lonely, although that was a big part of it. Mizuho needs help, and I...I thought maybe that would work, if I could find someone not just for myself, but for the village." She lifted her eyes to his and gave him a faint smile. "No offense, but you're not exactly what I wanted."

He returned her smile. "Don't worry, sweetheart, I get it."

And finally they arrived at the village gate. Eager to get off of that depressing subject, Sheena forced herself to smile at him more broadly. "But since you're here, and since it's because of _me_ , and since you were nice enough to make me breakfast this morning...the least I can do is make you lunch."

The way he looked at her made her wonder if he'd detected her desperate need to change the subject or if he could just read her mind. In either case, she was grateful he didn't push, instead smiling and accepting it. "I can handle that." Without warning, his face lit up. "Ooh, can you make those cute little tuna salad sandwiches? And maybe some fruit salad, with lots of melon balls?" Sheena blinked at him blankly, having no idea what he was talking about, and his face fell a little. "Y'know, those sandwiches with the pickle relish...?" She shook her head, and suddenly he was looking like a puppy she'd just kicked. Since when had she become the bad guy here? "Oh. Maybe you never created them here. You just started making them for me one day...I thought it was an older recipe you knew. I guess you made it up yourself, knowing how much I like seafood."

He looked so sad about that that she couldn't help chuckling. "Sorry, but I've never made anything like that before. And honestly, we can barely afford a loaf of bread here, let alone imported seafood from Sybak."

"That's too bad," he replied with a sigh. "I could've used some comfort food today."

Yeah, she supposed he could have, given his stressful day so far. She smiled apologetically. "I'll see what I can come up with."

"Whatever it is, it'll be fine," he reassured her with a smile, but it quickly faded as he looked down at the ground. "Hey, listen, before we do that, though, there's somewhere I want to go."

"Where?" Zelos looked up at her again but didn't say anything, and a moment later he sighed and turned back toward the path. "Zelos, where?"

He glanced at her again, his face somber. "The cemetery." Her eyes widened; why was he interested in the _cemetery_ , of all places? "Do you have a memorial to the people who died here that day?"

Sheena nodded. "Of course we do."

"Well, I'd like to see it. You don't have to come with me if you don't want to...I know the way there."

She still wasn't sure why he was interested in such a morbid, depressing place, but despite her reluctance to see it again, her curiosity about his motivation was even stronger. "No, that's okay. I'll come with you."

Their footsteps veered in that direction, walking through the village in silence, no one around to interrupt them...the remaining villagers must all be working in the fields, she figured, which was where she really should be, too. Upon arriving at the cemetery, Sheena pointed out the memorial, and Zelos headed toward it, stopping in front of it and reading through the list, his face darkening further with each new name he read.

"So many names...so many friends," he murmured, so softly that she barely heard it.

Her chest felt tight. Words couldn't express how much she hated coming here, knowing how many lives they'd lost that day...wondering if she could have changed things if she'd gotten here sooner or if she'd been here when it had happened. Hearing that she'd been poisoned in that alternate world and yet had still managed to figure out the cause and the cure...maybe that would have been better. Not that anyone else would have stumbled upon her to follow through on that like Zelos had in his world, but still...it would have been a chance. She quickly pushed that thought away, though—it wasn't like she could change that now, after all—and instead decided to take the opportunity to remember her fallen villagers, surprised when Zelos fell to his knees before the marker, placed a hand on it, and bowed his head in prayer. And for a moment, she couldn't help wondering who he was praying to and what his religious beliefs were, especially after living in Mizuho so long. She doubted he was praying to Martel given his history with Cruxis and the Church, but...maybe to Jizou? She didn't know, and now wasn't the time to ask. Instead, she knelt beside him, her heart stirred by the sight of him like this, respecting her people, perhaps even feeling grief for them. It was yet another reminder that she truly didn't know this man.

After a few minutes, his eyes opened again, and he cast a brief glance at her before looking back at the marker. "That's something else I've always wondered about: what would've happened to Mizuho that day if I hadn't gotten here when I did. For so long I was convinced there was more I could've done, that I could've saved those people who died in my world. For years you've told me if I hadn't arrived when I did, how much worse it would've been. I just never thought it would've been this bad." He placed his hand on the memorial again, his voice dropping further, no longer talking to her. "I'm so, so sorry. I should've been here for you in this reality, too."

His words, his expression, his tone...Sheena was stunned. He meant that. She had never seen him like this before, either. Unsure what to say, all she could do was whisper, "Zelos..."

Before she could finish, though, he suddenly cleared his throat and rose to his feet. "So," he began, turning to her as she followed him up, his face brightening, "how can I help?"

"...What?"

"Mizuho." He motioned at the village. "You obviously don't have many able-bodied people left here, and you admitted Mizuho is hurting for it, so how can I help you guys out?"

Sheena blinked at him. He wanted to help, even though this wasn't his village and these weren't his people? "Zelos, I can't ask—"

Zelos rolled his eyes. "Of course you can't. You're _Sheena Fujibayashi_ ; asking for help is like asking the sun not to rise in the morning." He gave her a pointed look. "But you aren't _asking_ , Sheena. I'm _offering_. I'm stuck here for a week, right? The least I can do is use some of that time to pitch in and make up for some of my alternate's many failings by not being here to do the job himself." He tilted his head. "Well, when I'm not busy trying to find you your 'one true love,' that is."

Agh, again with the matchmaking thing? "Zelos—"

"Sheena, don't," he cut her off. "Verius may have said it wasn't necessary, but I think we both know that's why I'm really here, so let me do my job, okay?" She pursed her lips and folded her arms to her chest, her face warm, but she couldn't argue that; she had wished not just for help, but for _someone_ , which meant he wasn't wrong. When she didn't respond, Zelos nodded, accepting that as her answer. "Anyway, I noticed on the way here that some of the houses had... _issues_ , to put it lightly. Like the one next to Igaguri's house—in my world, it was Akiyo and Naoko's home. I mean, I somehow doubt you guys decided to decorate it by dropping a tree through the roof. And since I didn't see Naoko's name on this memorial, I'm assuming she still lives there?"

...She would never cease to be amazed at how _strange_ it was to hear _Zelos Wilder_ recount such intimate details about her village. "Yeah. Well, at least she _did_ until a few nights ago when a bad storm swept through here. The tree fell then. Fortunately, she was in the other side of the house at the time and wasn't hurt, but it was a chore trying to get her out. Since then, the few of us left still physically capable of doing that kind of work have been so busy trying to replant the crops that were swept away during the storm that we haven't had a chance to fix it yet. She's been staying with Kazuko since then."

He shrugged. "Well, maybe I can help you get rid of that tree and fix up the roof."

Yeah, right. _Zelos Wilder_ fixing a _roof._ Now _that_ she'd like to see. She couldn't help chuckling at the thought. "No offense, Zelos, because I really do appreciate the offer, but you're not exactly the type to do manual labor like that. Or know carpentry well enough to fix a roof, for that matter."

To her surprise, though, instead of acknowledging that, he just grinned. "Ah, sweetheart, how little you really do know about me. First of all, manual labor? It's a cakewalk for me, what with my handy dandy angel powers. I should be able to lift it off of there no problem." ...Wait, what? Her lips parted, and her eyes widened. When had he gotten angel powers? Oh, right, she _had_ seen him with wings that one time when he'd saved her in the Tower of Salvation, hadn't she? How could she have forgotten? But before she could question that or follow through on all the other thoughts that came with it—like when had he undergone the angel transformation, what other 'angel powers' he had, or why he'd never told them about that—he went on. "And two, carpentry to patch up a roof is simple for me. I've learned a lot about that kind of stuff the past few years, definitely enough to handle a hammer, some nails, and cutting a few boards."

And once again, Sheena found herself gaping at him. " _You_? You do _carpentry_ work now, too? What, are you Lloyd Irving in disguise?"

He pulled a face and waved that off. "No, I'm definitely not Lloyd. _Definitely._ I just happen to live in Mizuho, where I don't have servants running around to do everything I need done around the house, so I've had to learn a thing or two to take care of my family."

But... _he was Zelos Wilder_. "I'm sorry, I understand that, but I just have a hard time accepting that _you_ took the time to learn _carpentry_ of your own free will, whether you live in Mizuho or not. You're a pampered city boy, Zelos! There's no way you would stoop to something like that!"

His eyes narrowed, and the amusement on his face hardened. "What, so you're saying I'm too much of a lazy bum to know how to create something with my own two hands?"

Okay, this entire conversation was getting weird. But despite how serious he seemed, she still couldn't see it being true. "Well, I really don't mean any offense by this, but...yes. You are." He folded his arms to his chest, and she quickly went on. "You grew up in Meltokio very, um, _sheltered_. And, to be honest, rich and spoiled. I just can't see carpentry being something you'd ever willingly do, not when you could get someone else to do it for you instead. And besides, I'm sure they have plenty of other uses for you in your Mizuho than doing that kind of work. You are a very skilled man, just...in other ways."

Thankfully, Zelos not only let her finish before he countered that, but he didn't look upset about what she'd said...because, she realized, that really was insulting, wasn't it? She never had been that great at speaking her mind tactfully, especially when it came to him. "Well, _for the record_ , I am more than just a pretty, rich, spoiled, sheltered, pampered ex-Chosen, and I do pull my weight in Mizuho. I mean, don't get me wrong, carpentry isn't my _favorite_ thing to do, but I live there, and while we don't have the luxuries of Meltokio, I have you and Sophia and our soon-to-be-born Kidlet #2, so I know where I'll choose to live any day. I've picked up a lot of that kind of stuff these past few years, and honestly, I'm grateful for those skills. And as for learning carpentry...well, even if it hadn't been for you pestering me to get a hobby so I wasn't constantly bored, there were...other circumstances...that led me to it. When it becomes a necessity that you learn something, you learn it."

Sheena knew what he was saying, but her mind still couldn't wrap itself around that. _Zelos Wilder_ performing _carpentry work_. "A _hobby_. What in the world could lead _you_ to pick up _carpentry_ as a hobby?"

And just like that, he gave her an evil smirk and waggled his eyebrows. "Heh."

Uh oh. She remembered that look, and it never meant good things for her. But still, her curiosity was getting the better of her today, it seemed. "Zelos? Seriously, what could've been that necessary to convince you to pull a Lloyd and learn that?"

"You don't want to know," he stated.

...She didn't? "Yes, actually I do."

He shook his head. "No, you don't."

Agh, the man was just as frustrating as she remembered, too. "Yes, I do!"

"Trust me, Sheena, you don't," he replied, unperturbed. "If I were to answer you, you _would_ regret asking me that."

"And yet I'm asking it anyway," she stated, folding her arms to her chest and giving him an expectant look. "What kind of circumstances could possibly do that?"

He mirrored her stance, looking her over carefully, but with a smile toying on his lips, too. "Y'know, even my Sheena wishes she could forget the whole damn thing."

Maybe he was right. But the problem was that his reaction to this was just making her all the more curious. She _was_ _not_ giving up, no matter what he said to try to convince her otherwise. There was a story here, and she wanted to hear it. "I still want to know."

And finally he sighed in a way that told her she'd won. "Fine, fine, but just remember, I was _trying_ to spare you from this, so don't go saying afterwards that I didn't warn you."

He didn't really think that would change her mind, did he? Sheena motioned at him. "Go on."

"I just love when you do that," Zelos quipped, accompanied by an over-the-top smirk, but she just gave him another unamused, 'hurry it up already!' look. "Okay, fine, but first we need to go somewhere else. I am _not_ recounting this story in Mizuho's cemetery. I'm sure your dearly departed loved ones do _not_ want to hear this." Sheena wasn't sure she liked the sound of that, but she did let him guide her a short distance away from the cemetery. He then looked around, making sure no one else was within earshot. "Okay, anyway, so one afternoon, my wife and I were...well, we were enjoying one of the perks of being married. In our own private bedroom, mind you." And just like that, she felt her face flush and her determination fade as she caught his implication: he and his wife had been having sex...something she really didn't want to think about right now, not when the 'wife' in question was another version of _her._ Maybe she should've listened and not pushed this issue? "Orochi, however, has always been accustomed to just coming into our home whenever he needs to talk to you about something, and...well, in his defense, he did knock, but we were preoccupied and didn't hear him, so...that's what he did."

Her jaw dropped as she caught his meaning. "Oh, no."

Zelos gave her an awkward grin. "Oh, yes. And since there was no door on our bedroom at the time, he got quite an eyeful. He couldn't look either of us in the eye for weeks after that. We'd done nothing wrong, but still...it was awful and embarrassing for everyone involved, _especially_ knowing the feelings he'd once had for you. Believe me, he learned his lesson and never enters without our explicit permission anymore, but I learned a lesson, too: I needed to figure out how to install a damn door and lock on our bedroom so even if someone _did_ enter our home when we were...er...similarly engaged, they'd never get the same view he did."

Sheena didn't want to know how red her face was as she realized what he was saying: Zelos had gone out of his way to learn how to make and install doors so he and his wife could have uninterrupted sex whenever they felt like it. "I should've known your reason for learning carpentry would be something like _that_."

"Hey, where there's a will, there's a way!" he replied, giving her his most innocent face. "I had plenty of will, and zero desire to share such a view of my lovely wife with any other guys, so I talked Satoru into teaching me what to do and figured out the way to make my will happen. And believe me, that skill has come in quite handy ever since, for more than just installing doors." He smirked. "I think I even impressed my wife."

She rolled her eyes. Of course he'd think that. "She was probably amazed at the lengths you'd go to to make sure you two could have uninterrupted sex."

He shrugged. "Yeah, probably, but she appreciated the door after that, too. And needless to say, I made sure to install doors on our bedroom in our new house after Mizuho moved, too. Helped build quite a bit of our new house myself, actually, and I learned a _lot_ more about carpentry then." Okay, now that _did_ impress her, and she suspected her alternate had been, too. She couldn't even blame him for looking proud of that fact; it would be unheard of for someone of his standing in Meltokio to have a hand in building his own house, and yet Zelos had done so. There really was more to him than she'd thought, wasn't there? "So in any case, yes, I can fix a roof that a tree fell through. Piece of cake."

At this point, she supposed she had no choice but to believe him. And besides, she'd find out soon enough if he was really serious, wouldn't she? "Well, if you're offering, I certainly won't turn away the help," she said, softening. "Before I get you a toolbox and let you loose patching up the village, though, we should probably stop by Chief Tiga's house and tell him what you're planning, see if there's anything he thinks is a bigger priority that you should tackle first." Her voice lowered and her gaze fell to his chest. "And so he can tell the other villagers not to kill you when they see you."

A glance upward showed that his blue eyes had widened in alarm. "Huh?"

Oh, right, she hadn't told him that yet, had she? "There's, um, a standing order in Mizuho that any ninja who sees you here should immediately kill you." ...And now his eyes were widening even further. Sheena gave him an awkward smile. "Yeah...you can blame this world's Zelos for that. I kinda instructed them to do so after our falling out."

"Well, considering what I know of the guy, I can't really blame you," he murmured. "I'm still tempted to go back to Meltokio and do the same, actually."

"But you're definitely not him, and I don't want any of the villagers getting the idea that they need to follow through on that," she quickly said. "At least not with you."

Zelos eyed her carefully. "Although after what happened this morning, I wouldn't be surprised if my alternate shows up here and tries to talk to us again. Once he's fixed his face, at least."

That wouldn't surprise her, either. "Well, it should be easy enough for my people to distinguish between you two, given the length of your hair."

"Of course, people will undoubtedly be wondering why I _am_ here..."

"...Which is why I think we should talk to Tiga first, before too many people see you."

His eyebrows rose. "And tell him what, exactly?"

She...wasn't entirely sure. Explaining this to Tiga meant...well, it meant telling him things she really didn't want anyone to know. But he was Mizuho's _chief,_ and if Zelos really would be hanging around here for awhile, then they had no choice. "The truth, I guess."

His jaw dropped. " _Really_?"

Sheena gave him a questioning glare. "How else do _you_ suggest we explain your existence here?"

He lifted his hands defensively. "Hey, that's entirely your call, sweetheart. I'm just trying to figure out if you're really _okay_ with that."

"Whether I am or not is beside the point," she replied, lowering her head, her face warm again. No, she really _wasn't_ okay with it, but this was just another ramification of the wish she'd made, and she had to live with the repercussions...no matter how uncomfortable and embarrassing they might be. No one had ever said that wish tags didn't come with a price for the person who made them. "The bottom line is that I can't turn you away from Mizuho when it's my responsibility you're here. And if you're going to stay here awhile, then our only choice is to tell the chief the truth about _why_ you're here."

"Okay." He still looked a bit surprised by that, but she was glad he didn't question it further. Instead, he motioned back at the village. "Lead on, then."

They headed through the unnaturally quiet village to Tiga's house, only crossing paths with one other villager who, as Sheena expected, looked at Zelos with obvious surprise, wariness—and hostility. The villagers had never been comfortable having outsiders in the village, and they hadn't _seen_ any outsiders since Tiga had banned them all after the poisoning. That realization just reinforced Sheena's conviction that she really did have to do this, even if it meant telling Tiga the truth. She couldn't have anyone threatening Zelos when he'd done nothing wrong and, as far as she was concerned, was welcome here. If he didn't suddenly do an about-face and turn back into the perverted idiot she'd always assumed him to be, though, and if he really did help out as he'd said he would, she expected the villagers would soon change their impression of him, just as she had. She just needed to keep him alive long enough to reach that point.

Thankfully, upon reaching Tiga's house and knocking on the door, they found he was home. He instructed them to enter, which they did. Surprise immediately lit his face at seeing Zelos with her, but Sheena quickly stopped him. "Wait!" she said, lifting her hand as he began rising to his feet, abandoning the scrolls on the table before him. "It's okay. He's with me. You don't have to hurt him."

Tiga briefly froze, but then he finished standing, the urgency of his action reduced by the wariness lingering in his eyes. "Why have you brought an outsider here, Sheena? You know the rules."

Sheena's eyes darted at Zelos, who was standing back, letting her do the talking. "It...it's a long story. But it's okay; we can trust him. He had nothing to do with the poisoning. I vouch for him."

"Mm," Tiga murmured, stilling eyeing Zelos closely. "So I take it your instructions regarding the Chosen have changed?"

She felt herself blush again. How could she explain this? "Um...kind of? Maybe I should say you don't have to hurt _this_ Zelos Wilder. My instructions still stand for the other one, though, so..."

Tiga blinked at her, clearly already confused...and Sheena knew it wouldn't get any clearer for him anytime soon. "Are you saying there are two Zelos Wilders?"

"Er...sorta?" She glanced at Zelos, who just watched her impassively. "Temporarily, at least..."

"Maybe you should start at the beginning, Sheena," Zelos gently prodded.

"...Right. Tiga, this is a different Zelos Wilder than the one you know. He's not the Zelos of this world, the one I instructed you to kill if he ever showed up here; this Zelos is from an alternate world—a very, um, _different_ world than ours. _He's_ very different. He's going to be here for a week or so, and I've offered to let him stay with me during that time. So he's my guest, and I'm asking that you make sure none of the other villagers try to hurt him."

Tiga's eyes narrowed. "Why is he here?"

Sheena glanced again at Zelos, but he just looked right back at her. At least since he was letting her do the talking, she could control what information was known about him. "Um, he's...um..."

"Sheena?" Tiga pressed.

Okay, so she just had to answer the question, didn't she? Just get the truth all out there. If she was lucky, Tiga wouldn't ask too many questions. " _HewasananswertoawishtagImade_ ," she finally said, the words spilling out of her in a rush.

Part of her had hoped Tiga wouldn't catch that but would accept it anyway...but clearly she wasn't that lucky today. "...You made a wish tag?" he said, his eyes narrowing further.

She nodded. "And Verius—er, the summon spirit who used to be Corrine—decided to bring him here in answer to it."

Tiga blinked once, then twice, then a third time. "I...see?"

"So the Zelos of this world is still here in this world, but this Zelos isn't him." This had to sound absolutely crazy. "This Zelos was...borrowed...from that alternate world and will be here a week. He's nothing like the Zelos Wilder we know, though, so I thought it would be a good idea to let you know that there's no need to hurt him or kick him out."

Unsurprisingly, Tiga looked completely stunned by that, and for a moment he didn't reply. He probably didn't know what to say, Sheena figured. This _was_ kinda out of the blue, wasn't it? "Very well...?"

"You can tell the difference between them by the length of their hair," she quickly explained. Her face was burning. "His is short, but the Zelos of this world still has long hair. So the short-haired version is the one who's welcome here. The long-haired version isn't. Chances are the long-haired one will be showing up later today, though, so we should tell the other villagers to be on the lookout for him and kick him out when he does."

"Okay...?"

Oh, right, she needed Tiga to know this, too. "Oh, and this Zelos has offered to help out Mizuho while he's here, so you'll probably see him patching up some of the houses that were damaged during the storm. Unless there's something else you need his help with first? But he's only here a week, meaning he can't do everything, so we need to make sure the most urgent things are tackled first..."

Off to her side, Zelos suddenly started shaking his head and chuckling. "Ah, Sheena? You might want to slow down, sweetheart. The chief looks like he wants to say something."

"...Oh." Sheena gave Tiga a sheepish smile. She had been rambling and hadn't given him an opportunity to speak, hadn't she? She just wanted so badly for this conversation to be over. "Sorry."

"Thank you for interrupting her, Chosen," Tiga said, giving Zelos an appreciative smile. "I must admit, I have not seen her this animated in years, so I was reluctant to do so myself." He bowed his head to Zelos. "It is good to see you again, Chosen, even if you are not the Chosen I know...if I am understanding Sheena correctly?"

Zelos smiled and bowed his head in return, exactly as any other villager would. "It's good to see you too, Tiga. And yeah, you're understanding her correctly. I'm from an alternate universe."

"Brought here in answer to a wish tag Sheena made?"

"Yep."

"Mm."

Zelos motioned at Sheena. "Like Sheena said, I'll be hanging around the village for the next week." His eyes lit up as he clearly realized something. "Oh, but don't worry about me accidentally learning all of Mizuho's secrets while I'm here and then sharing them with the outside world. I already know them all."

Sheena's jaw dropped. "Zelos!" she hissed.

He gave her a blank look. "What, I wasn't supposed to say that? I do, Sheena, and I'm sure the thought was going through Tiga's mind. I was just easing that concern. Don't forget, I know Tiga very well in my world." He turned to Tiga. "Am I right?"

Tiga's eyes narrowed again. "Yes, as a matter of fact, you are. In fact, I was just trying to figure out how to subtly broach that topic with you, particularly if you plan on living here for the next week. Our village holds many secrets, and we have become lax in hiding them since the poisoning because of how strictly we have cut off all outside access."

Sheena's head lowered. "...Oh."

"So may I ask how it is you know all of our secrets already, Chosen?" Tiga asked.

...And that was exactly why Sheena hadn't wanted him to know that: because there was no easy way to explain it without telling him the _rest_ of the story. "Well...um...he...er..."

"If you don't want me to answer that question, Sheena, say so now," Zelos said softly.

While she appreciated that he'd gotten the message and was checking with her first before saying anything else she didn't want him to say, deep down, as much as she hated to admit it, it _wasn't_ his place to explain this to Tiga. No, this mess was her responsibility, and so the responsibility fell on her to do the actual explaining. And so, damn it, she would just have to do so. "He lives in Mizuho. Well, _his_ Mizuho, at least."

Tiga's eyebrows rose. "Oh?"

"He's, um..." She glanced at Zelos, who still had no discernable expression on his face; he just watched her, clearly waiting to see if she would really say this. "In his world, he's Mizuho's chief consort."

"I...see," Tiga said, his eyes widening as he looked between the two. "And who did he marry there that he acquired such a prominent role in our village?"

Sheena had no doubt that her face was as red as Zelos's hair. "...Me."

"I suspected as much," Tiga murmured.

"So he's right; I'm sure he does know all of our secrets." She cleared her throat. She had to say this, too, before she died of embarrassment. "But please, Tiga, don't tell anyone here about that. They don't need to know that we're _married_ in an alternate universe."

Tiga gave her a gentle smile. "Do not worry, Sheena. You are correct: no one else needs to know that. That information will go no further than my ears."

Oh, thank Jizou. And she already knew he wouldn't ask about the contents of her wish tag, because a wish tag was a very personal thing for her people, not something for anyone else to know. Based on Zelos's role in his world, though, Tiga could likely figure it out for himself...but right now she couldn't worry about that. As long as he didn't say anything, she could delude herself into thinking it would remain private. "Thank you, Chief Tiga."

He bowed his head and looked at Zelos. "And of course, we will gladly accept your help here, Chosen, if you are offering it. We would be foolish to turn you away when you already know Mizuho as well as any of our villagers. In that respect, I cannot consider you to be an outsider anyway, not if you are Mizuho's chief consort in your world."

Zelos smiled. "As far as I'm concerned, this place is my home, so whatever I can do for you guys in the time I have here, I will. Just name it."

"You have my deepest gratitude, and I am certain you will have my people's gratitude as well," Tiga replied. "I will let everyone know to expect seeing you here for several days and to keep watch for any appearances by this world's Zelos Wilder. And Sheena is correct: fixing Naoko's house would be a wonderful starting point. If you are capable of helping her return to her home, please do so."

"Gladly."

"I'll come with you and make sure you get whatever you need," Sheena said. "And I'll bring you lunch, too."

"Okay," Zelos replied, giving her another smile. "Then we really don't have time to waste if I'm only here a week, so let's get started."

0~*~0


	4. Day 2: The Breakdown

**Day 2: The Breakdown**

If Sheena had known how confused and conflicted she would end up becoming because of a single wish tag she'd made, she might have thought twice about taking that route to solve all of her problems.

For a day and a half now, the Zelos Wilder from the mirror universe had been busy in Mizuho, working nonstop to do whatever was asked of him: fixing Naoko's roof and other damaged buildings, moving heavy items, and replanting fields, and those were only the tasks Sheena had seen him doing. She had helped him out the best she could, but most of her time had been spent in the fields tending to the damaged crops, and so she'd left the rest to him. The least she'd been able to do for him was make him meals, though, and so she had, picking foods she'd remembered him liking to express her gratitude. He had always been sincerely gracious and appreciative for that, and his comments never came across as the obnoxious, arrogant, _'Look at me, aren't I so great and helpful!'_ ones she'd grown to expect from 'her' Zelos. Sure, every now and then he'd slip in a few questionable comments, reminding her of the playful, over-the-top nonsense she expected from him, but still, compared to how the man used to act, it was barely worth mentioning.

His work ethic and devotion to fixing up Mizuho were astounding. He seemed to be tireless and was always looking for ways he could help. It turned out, too, that he hadn't been lying about being able to do carpentry work; he'd done a great job with the roof, and then with a few other smaller tasks, too, and Naoko had been delighted about being able to return home and had made sure to tell Sheena how grateful she was for his help. She wasn't the only one who'd expressed such sentiments, either; at least half of the villagers had talked to Sheena about him since his arrival, each one saying they were 'amazed' by him and surprised by how friendly and easily he spoke with them. A few even noted that 'they hoped he would stick around awhile longer.' (Granted, one of the villagers had mentioned that the other, long-haired Zelos had shown up yesterday afternoon, demanding to speak to her, but as directed, they had promptly chased him out. Sheena was just glad she hadn't had to see him herself, seeing as the previous morning had been bad enough, but she somehow didn't think that was the last they'd seen of him, much to her annoyance.)

And now it was late evening of the second day that the alternate Zelos had been in Mizuho. He had spent the entire day working again—last she'd heard, he'd been patching up a broken window in Moriko's house—and while Sheena had tried to stay up until he'd returned to her home so she could talk to him, see how he was holding up, and pass along her villagers' appreciation, it was late, she was tired from working in the fields so long, and she'd finally headed to bed, drifting into a light, restless doze. She estimated it was only an hour or two later, though, when she heard the front door click shut. Since it had already been late when she'd gone to bed, she figured it was _especially_ too late now to try to have any kind of conversation with him, and so she decided to wait until morning and catch him before he headed off to tackle whatever was next on his agenda. Besides, he needed the rest after how hard he'd been working. And so she decided not to let him know she was awake and instead just listened as he quietly moved about the house—he really had picked up ninja stealth skills because she could barely hear him, even from the next room over—and then she heard her couch creak as he settled onto it.

She closed her eyes again, knowing she needed more sleep—after all, she'd barely slept the previous night, what with her mind racing over the day's events—but she quickly realized that, again, it looked like she was heading for another night of little sleep. The interruption, no matter how quiet he'd been, had roused her mind, and soon she found herself thinking about everything again: how late it was; how long he'd been out there working on her behalf; the entire reason _why_ he was here; and the purpose behind Verius's decision to choose _him_ to answer her wish tag. But mostly, she was still amazed at him and at everything he'd done here. In fact, she suspected she was just as amazed by it as her people were, not to mention immensely grateful and humbled that he was willing to help like this when this wasn't his home. It was a reminder—as if she'd needed another one—that she really hadn't known the first thing about this man and what he was capable of.

And that thought brought to mind something else Tiga had told her earlier that day, a simple, offhanded comment he'd slipped in while praising Zelos's actions in Mizuho. Tiga had asked her, in a way that made her unsure if he'd been joking or serious, if there was any way they could keep Zelos permanently. She'd had to tell him no, they couldn't, nor could they ask him to stay any longer than a week, seeing as she already felt guilty enough about taking him away from his family this long, especially with his wife due to give birth any day now. He'd then said he could tell that Zelos was chief consort in his world, based simply how he acted and the things he knew. His world's Mizuho, Tiga had said with all sincerity, was extremely lucky to have him. It was at that point that Sheena had had to admit, not only to herself but to Tiga, that yes, Zelos's Mizuho really was lucky to have him—a realization that had resulted in this confusion and turmoil within her because she had no longer been able to ignore all the emotions that accompanied it...emotions she was trying very hard not to analyze too deeply for fear of where they might take her.

_Okay, Sheena, that's enough thinking for tonight_ , she told herself, squeezing her eyes shut. _Time to fall back asleep._ But again she soon found that she couldn't; her brain insisted on operating on overdrive, trying to make sense of everything that had happened and everything she had learned about him and his world. Worse, her emotions were just as chaotic as her thoughts. Even after two days of turning everything over and over in her mind, she still couldn't grasp it, and now her brain seemed determined to continue trying to make sense of the puzzle before her. After a time—maybe a half hour, maybe an hour, maybe more, maybe less—she finally gave up on the idea of sleep. With a deep, reluctant, frustrated sigh, she finally sat up, pulled on her robe, and snuck into the living room.

Her plan was to get something soothing to drink from the kitchen area, but as she passed the couch, the sight there caught her eye, and her feet slowed to a stop. Zelos was stretched out atop it, one hand resting on his chest and the other tucked behind his head, a light blanket covering him. He looked so peaceful that the sight...well, the sight took her aback and made her heart pound a little faster, conflicted emotions whirling within her. How was it that the last man in the world she'd ever expected would do this for her came to be the one here now, proving everything she'd ever known about him wrong? That unwanted thought reminded her of yet another question Tiga had asked her earlier, echoing the villagers' words to him: Why had Sheena implemented such a definitive ban on Zelos Wilder from Mizuho for so long? She'd immediately emphasized that the two men were nothing alike, and that there was no possibility this world's Zelos would ever become to Mizuho what this man was in his world, and at the time she had meant it. Ever since then, though, a nagging voice had been whispering in her head, asking if she was absolutely certain about that. Why _was_ this man so different from 'her' Zelos Wilder? Given different circumstances, was there any possibility that 'her' Zelos could've become this man? Had _she_ really had that much of an impact on him? So far, whenever those questions had popped up, she had soundly pushed them from her mind, refusing to consider them, but that didn't stop them from coming back time after time.

Another thing she apparently couldn't stop through sheer willpower was the feelings this man was evoking from her. She felt like...like she was being drawn to him. More than once since he'd arrived here she had found herself just _staring_ at him as he carried on his work in the village, oblivious to her watchful eyes. It was part amazement and gratitude, sure, but more than that, it was—and she absolutely hated to admit this— _attraction._ She couldn't deny it anymore, not after the past two days; she was attracted to him. He was an extremely handsome, good-looking man. She'd always known that, but because of how Zelos had always acted before—like he was Martel's gift to women and like every woman should swoon over him because of how 'pretty' he was—she'd always done her best to ignore and deny that fact. But now...now, when he _wasn't_ acting like that, when he wasn't teasing her or acting stupid every time he caught her looking at him, when he was instead being so sweet and devoted and thoughtful and helpful, when he was acting like a real husband and was giving her no reason to doubt his sincerity or his intentions, she was slowly becoming more comfortable acknowledging that she really did feel physical attraction to him. It was still embarrassing, and she hoped he never found out about that, but it was true, and she couldn't hide that fact from herself any longer.

The Zelos she was seeing here was, incredibly enough, exactly what she had always wanted. She desperately wished she could deny it—because _Zelos Wilder?! Seriously?!—_ but she couldn't. What he was willing to do for her, because he _loved_ her—or at least because he loved another version of her—was astounding and humbling. She was even more amazed to feel a yearning stirring within her for the family that her alternate had found, not only with Zelos, but with their daughter and their unborn child, too. The feelings were confusing and foreign and were resulting in a restless lump in her stomach; after all, not once had she ever felt desire like that when with Orochi. Orochi had been a wonderful husband, far better than she deserved, one who had been willing to do anything and everything for her, just like the man lying on her couch right now obviously was, and yet...and yet her feelings toward him were...they were...

Sheena quickly shook her head, refusing to dwell on that thought or carry it to its conclusion. She couldn't, not without breaking down from the guilt that would inevitably come with it. All of these conflicted feelings—longing, disbelief, embarrassment, humility, all of it—were annoying. Some were even scary because it was the first time she had felt them this powerfully. And yet despite the fear that accompanied the tumultuous wave surging within her, she had to admit that they were addictive, and mesmerizing, and that she wanted to hold onto them as tightly as she could and never let them go because of how _human_ and _normal_ and _alive_ they made her feel. This man...he was exactly what she—and the rest of Mizuho, for that matter—wanted and needed in her life. " _It goes without saying, Sheena, but if Mizuho is going to survive long enough to build a brighter future for itself, we need you to find a husband like him_ ," Tiga had told her earlier. She'd brushed it off at the time, saying she was working on it, but deep down she knew he was right. In fact, she'd had to bite her tongue before she could say the words that had immediately come to mind at his gentle prompting: " _ **I**_ _need to find a husband like him_." After all, Zelos was kind, and he was caring, and he was giving, and he loved Mizuho, and he was...he was...

_He was a man she could one day fall in love with.  
_

Without warning, Sheena started as she realized that, without her knowledge, her legs had taken her closer to the couch, and now she was kneeling on the ground beside him, her hand inching closer to his face. She knew she was taking a chance and that she should walk away before he woke, but she couldn't; she was entranced by the sight before her. He was so beautiful...so peaceful. She ached to touch him, to run her fingers through his hair, no matter how short it now was. More than that, though, she realized, completely unnerved by the feeling, at that moment she had the strangest desire to kiss him, to lean forward and press her lips to his. But why? Gratitude, to express how much she appreciated his being here for her? Attraction, because her body was drawn to his? Curiosity, just to see how it felt to kiss someone she felt this way about? Desire, to see how her alternate felt every time he kissed her? (Oh, Jizou, this man had had _sex_ with her; he knew and had touched every inch of her body intimately...and according to him, she'd _liked_ it, even instigating it herself...her mind couldn't fathom that.) None of these feelings made sense—he was _Zelos Wilder,_ she kept reminding herself, a man with whom she had nothing in common, who she despised and wanted nothing to do with—and yet he was everything, _everything_ , she had always wanted.

"Sheena?"

It took her a moment to realize her fingers had, without her permission, lightly brushed his cheek...and, even worse, that Zelos was now awake, his blue eyes watching her curiously, narrowed in concern. Her eyes widened, she quickly retracted her hand, and she rose to her feet, the first inklings of panic inching through her. "I...I'm sorry. I didn't mean to wake you."

She braced herself for the inevitable—that he would tease her mercilessly for being drawn over to him like this, that he would flaunt how beautiful his face was and boast that no one could resist it, not even her—but instead of doing that, Zelos just yawned and waved it off. "'S okay. I always love waking to see your face."

His words briefly caught her off guard, but then she took another step backward, a blush settling on her cheeks. "I...I'll just go back to bed. Sorry."

To her alarm, though, he quickly pushed himself up, rubbing at his eyes. "No, wait, don't leave yet." He swung his legs off the edge of the couch and patted the cushion beside him, looking up at her hopefully. "Have a seat."

Sheena quickly shook her head, still rattled from having been caught staring at him. "Oh, no, no, you've been so busy the last two days...you need your beauty sleep..."

Zelos waved that off. "Eh, don't worry about me. Really. With my angel abilities, I don't need as much sleep as normal humans do. I can go nearly a week without it, if necessary. I hit my limit a few times taking care of Sophia while she was being fussy during the night so you—er, my wife—could sleep, but believe me, I'm days away from reaching that point. Right now I'm just fine, so please, have a seat. I haven't talked to you much lately, and that's unacceptable seeing as I'm here for _you_. Helping Mizuho is just the bonus. So if you're up now, and if I'm up now, let's talk." Still she hesitated, torn, and he grinned and motioned at her. "Besides, you look like you've got something on your mind."

Part of her wanted to run away, afraid to find out what her already conflicted, yearning thoughts and emotions might lead her to do. She didn't know how to talk to this man, not when she wasn't even sure how she _felt_ about him anymore. But she soon discovered that the desire to be with him and find out more about him was too strong to resist, and instead she nodded and sat down on the couch, leaving a safe distance between them. "Okay."

The two sat in silence a moment, with Zelos watching her while she fidgeted, trying to figure out what she wanted to say and how much of her current turmoil to expose to him, until he gave her half a smile. "Gald for your thoughts?"

Sheena couldn't help but chuckle softly. Why bother asking? "If you know me as well as Verius said you do, then why don't _you_ tell _me_ what I'm thinking right now?"

His eyes narrowed as he continued observing her, but then his smile suddenly turned wicked. She hadn't seen that look in years, mostly because she hadn't _seen_ Zelos Wilder in years, but she still remembered it well enough to know what would soon be coming: something stupid. "You're thinking what a pretty face I have and how damn lucky my wife is to get to see it all the time!"

...Just as she'd thought. Judging from how hot her face felt, it was bright red again...especially since he wasn't exactly _wrong_ about that. That realization was mortifying, and so, as she always did whenever he made her feel uncomfortable, she smacked his arm, putting as much strength behind it as she could...which, granted, wasn't much seeing as she _was_ still feeling grateful for everything he'd done for Mizuho so far.

"Does she really put up with that kind of stupid talk all the time without smacking you for it?" she countered, hoping to cover over her embarrassment.

But the idiot just grinned proudly. "Yes, actually, she does."

"I can't fathom why," Sheena muttered, shaking her head.

And just like that, Zelos's chuckles stopped and his eyes narrowed knowingly, in a way that made her distinctly uncomfortable again. "...Or maybe you can."

Her hand itched to smack him again, but the emotional confusion resulting from his comment, combined with her lingering confusion from all the other thoughts she was struggling with, stilled her hand. She wasn't sure what he was insinuating. Was he implying she had _feelings_ for him? Or was it more innocent than that? His calculating, knowing expression made it hard to tell. And the truth was, despite how messed up and hard to pin down her emotions currently were, she _could_ fathom it. Quite well, in fact, if her earlier thoughts were any indication.

"...Because she loves you," she finally whispered, her gaze falling to her hands.

He nodded, but a glance at him showed his smile was softening, no arrogance behind it. "That's how I figure it."

_It was impossible. In no world would Sheena Fujibayashi fall in love with an idiot like Zelos Wilder. No way, not possible_. That was what her mind kept trying to tell her. But her heart...her heart knew the truth. Her voice lowered further. "Just a few days ago I never would've believed that was possible."

He eyed her carefully. "And now?"

"Now..." Now, after only two days with this Zelos, she got it. Somehow during the past few years, this incarnation of him had grown into a man she could see being a good husband, and obviously her alternate agreed if she'd stayed with him this long. She just wasn't sure she could actually _say_ that to him. But it seemed all her conflicted emotions had knocked down her walls tonight, and she reminded herself that _he was here for her_ , and that he was only here a few more days and then she would never have to face him again, and that he knew her in ways only a husband knew his wife, and so maybe she should make a point to be brave and say it. Maybe...maybe he could help her figure it all out. "Now I think I'm starting to see why Verius brought you here."

Zelos nodded, but thankfully he didn't tease her about that, even though he had more than enough ammunition to use against her. He really had matured and truly did care about her, didn't he? "I can only imagine how confusing this must be for you," he said softly. "A man you hate suddenly showing up and turning out to be your husband in an alternate reality? I don't think it gets much weirder than that."

"No, probably not." His voice was so gentle, and understanding, and empathetic, and suddenly Sheena couldn't stand it anymore. Everything was bubbling over: the longing, the regret, the sadness, the pain...the despair. She could feel tears building in her eyes, and while she desperately didn't want to show them to him, she couldn't stop them. When she had made her wish two nights ago, she had been so hopeful that it would prove to be the answer to all of her problems...she'd been so hopeful it would fix her. But instead, what had she gotten? _Him,_ someone she knew loved her, someone she had to admit she _felt_ something for, and yet someone she could never have. "It's not fair."

"What isn't?"

"I made a single bad decision all those years ago, I walked away from you when I shouldn't have, and all of _this_ happened." There, she'd said it, what she was _really_ thinking. And now that she'd gotten started, she wasn't sure she could stop. She was so confused and emotional that she didn't even know if she _should_ try to stop. And Zelos, bless his heart, just sat there quietly, letting her speak. "If it hadn't been for that, I would have a family of my own, Mizuho would be thriving, Grandpa would still be alive, Orochi would still be alive, I'd be..." She swallowed hard, barely able to breathe past the lump in her throat. "I would be happy. And instead, what do I have? My village is dying, my people are losing their identity, and I feel...I feel so alone, and lonely, and...and... _hopeless_. I feel like a failure. I have nothing to look forward to anymore but more of _this_."

"You don't know that, Sheena," he replied, his voice still soft. "There's always hope. Someday you'll find a man who loves you and who you love in return, someone who will help you rebuild Mizuho and move it forward into the future. I know you will."

His words were so pretty, so perfect, but they were _too_ pretty and perfect, and she had long since learned that reality was never that nice to her. "I wish I could be that certain."

"You did in my world; I'm convinced you can here, too."

She shook her head. She appreciated what he was doing—really, she did—but she couldn't share in that. "But I'm not. I mean, hearing about the other 'me' and about how happy she is, and then looking at _me_ , and everything I've done, at everything that's happened...I can't help but think that I lost it, my one chance at that happiness, simply because I walked away instead of being patient with you...with him." Her voice lowered, and she closed her eyes, the first tear breaking loose and rolling down her cheek. "It's my fault, Zelos. All of it...it's my fault."

"You don't know that, either," he replied. "I... _he..._ may have said something different here than I did that justifiably pushed you over the edge, to the point of writing him off for good. I may not know exactly what happened here, but I do know what happened in my world. Even I can't deny I was a gigantic idiot and pain in the ass back then, so it's not outside the realm of possibility that this whole thing is actually his fault." He tilted his head. "Granted, I'm still an idiot and pain in the ass; I've just learned to control it a little better."

"I'm not so sure about that," she murmured. "After what happened with Orochi—"

Realizing what she'd just been about to say, the truth she absolutely _did not_ want to talk about, she abruptly stopped. Zelos waited a moment, his eyes narrowing, but then he pressed, "What?" She didn't move, didn't even acknowledge that she'd heard him, and he gently touched her arm. "C'mon, Sheena, talk to me. What happened with Orochi?"

For a long moment Sheena sat silently, motionlessly, lost in indecision. Should she tell him? _Could_ she tell him? Could she even talk about it? But after all these years of holding it all inside, of trying to hide the truth about what had happened that day, about the part she'd played in it, about _all_ of it...maybe she _needed_ to talk about it, to tell someone. As incredible as it seemed, she trusted this Zelos—so far he hadn't done anything to make her _not_ trust him—and before she even realized what she was doing, the words burst out of her, accompanied by a single sob. "I killed him."

"...What?"

"Orochi...he loved me so much, and I...I killed him."

From the corner of her eye, she could see him watching her closely, blinking a few times in confusion. "You'll excuse me if I have trouble believing that."

It was too much; she couldn't keep all of this buried inside her any longer. She _couldn't_ , not with the 'might-have-been' sitting right here beside her. "Like I said, Orochi and I weren't in the village the day it was poisoned; we were in Ozette, looking for Michi. When we got back, everyone was sick and dying...many were already dead. By the time we figured out what had happened and how to cure it, even more had died. And then while we were making the antidote, we realized we were missing _tsuchite_ , one of the key ingredients for it."

Zelos nodded. "So were we in my world. I had to go get some."

She arched an eyebrow. "From Latheon Gorge?" He nodded, and she went on, "So did we. Orochi and I both went there looking for it. Everything was going fine...until we reached the cave where the _tsuchite_ was growing. There was an entire family of plantixes living there, and they attacked us, and I...I got careless." She wrung her hands together, watching them intently. "One of them had snuck up behind me, but I hadn't been paying attention at the time and didn't notice it until it was too late. Orochi...Orochi saw what was happening, and he pushed me out of the way and took the blow himself. Next I knew, a plantix had stabbed him through the heart." She swallowed hard, another tear breaking loose, trying desperately not to recall the horrifying image that had been permanently branded into her memory. "It killed him instantly."

"Oh, Jizou," Zelos whispered, his eyes wide, his words a horrified gasp.

She couldn't stop to think about what she was saying; she had to keep going while she still could. "I grabbed the plant and got out of there as fast as I could, and I made it back in time to save a handful of people here, like Chief Tiga. I couldn't let Orochi's death get to me when so many people's lives were hanging on my choices. But even once I _could_ let it get to me..." Her voice trailed off. She wasn't sure she could say this. Clearly Zelos noticed her struggle, for he gently grasped her hand, drawing her eyes back to his. He just waited patiently for her to continue...the sorrowful expression on his face breaking her heart. She couldn't believe it, but she really was going to say this, wasn't she? She forced her eyes from his in shame. "The truth is, even once I could let his death get to me, I felt nothing. I tried to feel _something_ , to grieve him like a widow was supposed to after just losing her husband, but there was... _nothing_. The only thing I felt was...was _relief_. I thought I was just numb from it all, but the overwhelming grief was there for everyone else who'd died, and yet my own _husband_ had just died and I felt _relieved_."

"And when the emotions you expected didn't come, the guilt set in," Zelos murmured, squeezing her hand tenderly.

Her eyes snapped up to his, widening. He really did know her, didn't he? She nodded and, embarrassed, looked down at her hand again, the one still covered by his, trying to ignore the physical sensations even that little contact with him ignited in her. It was wrong in so many ways to be feeling things like that while talking about her dead husband. "He loved me so much that he gave his life to protect me, and I couldn't even feel sad about his death, just relieved that I didn't have to be married to him anymore." Her voice lowered further, her vision blurred by tears. "And that's when I realized I wouldn't have done for him what he did for me. If I had seen him about to be attacked by a monster, would I have jumped in and taken his place? I don't know that I would have. In the end, my world's Zelos Wilder was absolutely right about what he said: I never loved Orochi."

"Oh, Sheena."

The tears were now falling steadily down her face, her voice broken by rumbling sobs. "I am such a horrible person. I married a man who loved me that much, even though I didn't love him, and he died because of it, because I was careless and wasn't looking out for him and his safety like a wife is supposed to look out for her husband. And now...now, even if there were a man interested in me, I can't let anyone else fall in love with me again, not the way Orochi did, when I can't be sure I'll ever feel the same way for him. I can't do that to anyone else, use him for Mizuho's sake or lead him on, thinking maybe one day I'll feel the same way for him that he does for me. I can't. Not if it means risking someone else sacrificing his life for me when I wouldn't do the same for him. I know that's messed up, and I know I'll never find someone unless I'm willing to let someone in in return, but I just...I _can't_. I can't go through that again. I'm so scared history will repeat itself. And that means there's no hope for me, that I'll never find someone I can love, that I'll be alone the rest of my life and no one else will help Mizuho and the village will be doomed..."

"Sheena..."

Her gazed snapped up to his, her eyes shining through the tears, and she motioned at him with her free hand. "And then _you_ show up here, someone who's exactly what I need...who's exactly what I want. And I can...I can feel..." He watched her closely, waiting, and she swallowed again, telling herself she needed to just _say it_. "I can _feel_ it, Zelos: you're someone I could fall in love with— _really_ fall in love with. You're mature, and you're eager to help, and you're attractive, and you're sweet, and you're giving, and you're...you're exactly what I'm looking for. And it's _not fair_ , because you're also someone I can never have. That leaves me right back where I was, with no hope, no new chances, nothing. And instead I learn that the one chance I had at real love was lost long ago and now there's no possibility to fix what went wrong. How can Verius think this would be _best_ for me?!"

His heart was breaking; she could see it in the twisting of his face as he slid closer and wrapped his arm around her, pulling her to him tightly. "Shh," he whispered in her ear. "Everything will be okay, Sheena. I promise. This isn't your fault, and there's always hope. Always. I found you when I least expected it, when I had no hope for it, and there's no reason to believe the same won't happen for you. You didn't kill Orochi; speaking as a husband myself, it's a husband's duty to protect his wife, his family, in any situation. Orochi knew that, and he loved you the way I do; that's why he gave his life for you. How you felt for him didn't matter; if you don't think he didn't know you weren't in love with him, then you're the one who's mistaken. A man can tell if a woman loves him or not, or even if he doesn't _know_ , he has an inkling. He may not have wanted to believe it, but trust me, deep down I'm sure he knew you only married him because you had no other choice. The fact that he died to protect you anyway tells me that even knowing you may not have reciprocated his feelings, he didn't care, and he loved you anyway, enough to give his life for you, to make sure you continued living even if he didn't. I'm sure if you could talk to him today, or even talk to my Orochi, he would tell you that he wouldn't have cared if you loved him or not. He would've done what he did regardless. What he did, taking your place, was _his choice_. He wanted you to live and to be happy, and so he did what he had to do to make that happen.

"And beyond that, Sheena, I know you. Even if you didn't love him, that wouldn't have stopped you from protecting him, _if you'd known at the time what was going to happen to him_. My Sheena would give her life for any of our people because she loves them enough to want to protect them. You were in an extreme, frantic situation, under an insane amount of stress and pressure. Your people were dying; you were desperate to create the cure; you were being attacked; you were probably exhausted and running on adrenaline. It's only natural that you wouldn't catch everything happening around you at that moment, not when there were all those plantixes attacking you; it was physical and emotional overload. I've been in that situation myself, and I had to completely shut down my emotions in order to keep going. You missed what was happening at that moment because there was no way you could've noticed it. That's just how it is. You were doing everything you could to save your people. There's no shame in that, and you have no reason to feel guilty about it, just like there's no shame or guilt in being relieved to be free of a marriage you never really wanted. Over time you might have grown to love him, but at that moment you didn't. That doesn't make you a bad person, someone incapable of love. It just makes you human."

He pulled back so he could look her in the eye, making her heart pound at the emotion she saw shining there. "Just don't ever give up hope. _Ever_. One day you will find a man you love as much as he loves you. Honest, you will, because you, Sheena Fujibayashi, are one of the most loving, giving women this world has ever seen. You're certainly the most loving, giving woman _I've_ ever met. You've given me so much love, and look what it did to me. And I've seen you with our daughter, even if you haven't, how completely you love her and would do anything for her. You are more than capable of such love. You just can't be afraid to try again. You can't be afraid to let yourself fall in love. That whole thing with Orochi happened for a number of reasons, some right, some wrong, but what happened, happened. Don't let that hold you back. And when you do find what you want and need, Sheena, trust me, it's amazing, and you will find yourself happier than you ever believed yourself capable of experiencing. That's what happened to me with you, and according to Verius, it's what happened to my 'you' with me, too. You just need to keep looking."

His words...not only was she incredibly touched by them, but she was hopeful that he was right. She wanted to believe him so, so much, that there really _was_ still hope for her to find everything she wanted and needed. And the look in his eyes, the love and affection...her heart was pounding with amazement and desire. And again, Sheena found herself wanting only to kiss him, to experience it for herself, to know what it felt like to kiss someone she loved, someone who loved her. She was losing sight of herself in the wake of the love in his blue eyes, her emotions racing, her walls down, and suddenly she couldn't help herself and she succumbed to the impulse and leaned toward him, wanting it, _needing_ it...

...Only for him to close his eyes and turn his face away, shaking his head before her lips could reach his. "I'm sorry, Sheena," he whispered, his grasp on her loosening as he backed away a bit. "I can't. You're my wife, but you're not...I don't know if it would count as cheating, but I'd rather err on the side of caution."

The moment broke, her eyes widened, and in a flash of pure horror and clarity, she realized what she had just done: _she had tried to kiss_ _Zelos Wilder._ And, not only that, but _she had tried to kiss an already happily married Zelos Wilder._ "Oh, Jizou," she whispered, her stomach twisting into a knot of humiliation and shame. " _Oh, Jizou_!" She abruptly tried to pull away from him, to run away and bury herself under a rock and hide from him until he returned to his own world, but before she could, he grabbed her arm tightly—but not painfully—and forced her to remain sitting, his eyes growing frighteningly pointed.

"Uh uh," he said. "Absolutely not. You are _not_ running from this, sweetheart."

And now her panic was raging at full. "Zelos, I am so, _so_ sorry. I...I didn't mean to..."

"Yes, you did," he stopped her, his voice firm but not arrogant. "Sheena, _it's okay_. I get it. For some reason or other, my wife fell for me, so it's kinda silly to think the same couldn't happen to you, too. I'm just..." His face softened, his eyes growing sad. "I'm not someone you can fall in love with. I won't let you. I can't hurt you like that. I truly am sorry...I wish I was. I know right now you feel horrified and angry at yourself, wondering what possessed you to do that, but don't, okay? You wanted to know what it felt like to kiss someone who loves you and who you feel you could love in return. Am I right?" Sheena nodded, her face so hot that she was surprised it hadn't ignited in flames, and again she wanted nothing more than to run away, but Zelos—damn him—still wouldn't let her go. "It's only natural to be curious about that. And if I wasn't in the position I am, I wouldn't have stopped you. You know that, right?" His eyebrows rose questioningly, the intensity in his gaze forcing her to hold it, and she nodded. "I'm not upset. Really, I'm not. You have no idea how much I wish I _could_. I mean, you're _her_ , Sheena. Everything I love about her, I see in you. You're different, because you've experienced way too many godawful things that she didn't, but time and circumstances haven't changed who you are. Deep down, in all the ways that really matter, _you are the woman I love_."

Sheena squeezed her eyes shut as more tears built in them, and she turned her head away, unable to see him like that, so forgiving and understanding and concerned about her and telling her he loved her...it hurt too much, made her chest ache unbearably. And then next she knew, he was wrapping his arms around her again and drawing her close, pressing a kiss to the top of her head. "It isn't fair," she whispered into his shirt, knowing she was getting it damp with her tears, but thankfully he didn't seem to care. She hated showing so much weakness in front of him, but the emotions simply wouldn't let her stop.

"I know," he whispered, the warmth of his breath in her ear sending a shiver down her spine. "And you're right, it isn't. I'm still not sure what Verius was thinking, how he thought this was the best solution, by sending you someone you can't have. But I promise you, Sheena, it'll be all right. I'll _make_ it be all right. I'm going to do everything I can to help you fix the problem. Just don't shut me out, okay? I know you're going to feel uncomfortable around me for awhile because of this, but please, don't hide from me. Like I said, I'm not upset, and I don't think any less of you now than I did before. You have no idea how glad I am that you told me all of this. I get it now, why you resorted to the wish tag to try to change your situation. I know asking for help like that couldn't have been easy for you. And thank you for trusting me enough to share what happened with Orochi and how all of this has made you feel. I promise, I won't do anything to make you regret it."

His voice was so warm, so gentle, and so certain that Sheena could only nod, unable to say any more and unwilling to try formulating any more coherent, non-humiliating thoughts, and instead she just let herself believe him and try to summon a bit more hope, sinking into his embrace and breathing in his masculine scent and accepting the comfort he offered her as she let herself cry. Silence settled upon them then for an indeterminable amount of time, broken only by her occasional sniffles, and eventually, lulled by the rhythmic beating of his heart beneath her fingertips, Sheena felt her eyelids grow heavy, and soon after that she was asleep.

When she awoke in the morning, she was lying in her own bed, the light streaming in through her windows indicating it was long past dawn. For a moment, she was confused—how had she gotten into bed? Had Zelos brought her here?—but then, in an instant, the events from the previous night came rushing back to her, including her embarrassing emotional breakdown in his arms, and with it came all of the accompanying guilt. Oh, Jizou, _she had tried to kiss a happily married man._ She curled herself into a ball, her stomach churning sickly, and pulled the blanket tighter around her, burying herself beneath it. What had she _done_? How could she ever face him again? How would her pride ever recover? Maybe she should just stay in bed the rest of the day and hide from him here, tell him she didn't feel well so she didn't have to face him—or her actions—until after he'd gone back home, but she had a sinking feeling he knew she'd be lying. Then...she'd stay in bed just a bit longer to gather her courage before getting up and attempting to look him in the eye again.

After a few minutes, though, she realized that her house was unnaturally quiet, and she lowered the blanket from her face, peering out at her room again. Was he still here? Was he asleep? Had he headed out into Mizuho to see how else he could help her people? Had he...had he become too uncomfortable being anywhere near her and left? The last one worried her the most; she didn't think he would just _leave,_ based on what he'd said last night after she'd...well, after _the incident_ that she didn't want to think about, but she had no way of knowing. Or at least she had no way of knowing until she got up and looked around. And so to that end, she took a deep breath, steeling her nerves, and then slowly got up and slipped into her usual clothes.

Still not hearing any movement in her home, she tentatively called out, "Zelos? Are you there?"

The only response was more silence.

While she was relieved that she didn't have to face him yet, her concern also rose a notch. _Had_ he left? Had she chased him away? Not sure what to think, she stepped into her living area. He wasn't on the couch, he wasn't in her bathroom, he wasn't in the storage room...she told herself not to panic, because he could be elsewhere in Mizuho, but even that couldn't shake the unsettled feeling in the pit of her stomach. And then she saw it: a note on top of her table with her name on it. She quickly walked over to it, picked it up, unfolded it, and took a deep breath before reminding herself to be brave and just read it before she jumped to too many conclusions.

*~0~*

_Sheena,_

_Went to Meltokio to take care of some business. I'll be back in a little while._

_(And just remember, no hiding from me, okay? I know all your top secret hiding spots so I_ _**will** _ _find you.)_

_~Zelos_

*~0~*

Oh, thank Jizou. He hadn't left for good. Sheena relaxed a bit. But what did he mean, 'business'? Should she be concerned about that? Well, whatever it was, she would find out when he got back. Now that she could stop worrying about that, she could finally get to work. Heaven knew there was plenty to do in Mizuho until he returned.

0~*~0


	5. Day 3: The Other Side

**Day 3: The Other Side**

Zelos Wilder was a total and complete mess. He was cranky; he was irritable; he was reacting to everything more cynically and sarcastically than usual; and he—and his constant moodiness—was driving Sebastian up a wall. He knew it. He hated it. And damn it, he couldn't do a single thing to fix it.

He'd tried. He'd tried desperately to distract himself—he'd wandered around Meltokio, he'd read a book, he'd pestered Seles, he'd sharpened his swords, he'd even made a few balloon animals—but nothing could stop his mind from drifting back to the _other him_ , that guy who'd looked exactly like him and had been with _Sheena_. Who was he? What was he doing here? Why was he with her? He needed to know what was going on; he'd been through some really crazy stuff before, but never had his doppelganger appeared in his mansion, stolen his clothes, kicked his hunny out of his bed, waltzed around town with a ninja he'd once carried a gigantic torch for, beat him in a fight, broken his nose, threatened his life, and then walked away. Zelos was pissed; he was restless; he wanted answers; and damn it, he wanted his 'groove' back with the ladies—something that had been sorely missing the past two days, which was especially annoying since he really could've used that particular distraction right now. He'd even reverted to drinking more than usual in hopes it would drown out his thoughts and give him a few moments of relaxation, but even that hadn't worked. It wasn't satisfying, it took too much alcohol for him to get drunk enough to dull the pain and confusion, and it still hadn't managed to help him forget what had happened.

He had even tried spying on Mizuho to see if he could get the answers he desperately needed. He'd managed to catch a few glimpses of his 'other self' walking around there, doing—of all things— _roof work_ , but that had been it, and all it had done was confuse him further. While it reinforced the most likely explanation that the guy was Orochi in disguise, it still didn't answer the _why_ —not to mention wouldn't Orochi's _wife_ have an issue with her husband disguising himself as a man she hated? But before he could get answers, one of the ninjas had spotted him—they _had_ to have eyes on the back of their heads—and chased after him, and he, valuing his life (well, at least enough to want to avoid the pain any ninjas would undoubtedly inflict on him), had made a hasty retreat and hadn't tried going back there since.

And now it was the morning of the second night he hadn't gotten any sleep. He'd finally forced himself to get up, shower, and get dressed, and then he'd headed downstairs in search of breakfast. Upon reaching the main floor, though, he immediately froze: his short-haired alternate was sitting on the couch in his living room, reading the newspaper. The man's feet were propped up on the coffee table, he was wearing _Zelos's clothes_ , and suddenly Zelos was seeing red and stalking toward him, eager for blood.

" _You_!"

His doppelganger didn't look up at him, didn't even acknowledge him, but he suddenly gaped at the newspaper in his hands. "Are you _kidding_ me?! Giannovio is still the Foreign Minister here?!" His eyes darted up at Zelos. "You never became this world's Foreign Minister? _Really_?!" Those words caught Zelos aback, the surprise briefly derailing his anger, but before Zelos could respond, his doppelganger shook his head and muttered, "Oh, of course you didn't. I wouldn't have either if not for Sheena encouraging me to pursue that. Guess it's not such a big surprise after all." He sighed and shrugged. "Oh, well, it looks like I really _do_ have some business to take care of here before I head back." Zelos's eyes darted at the door where his sword was supposed to be, but somehow his alternate noticed that subtle action, even though he was looking at the newspaper again, and added, "Oh, and I moved the sword by the door so you don't try attacking me with it."

Okay, _that_ was enough of _that._ "What the _hell_ are you doing in my house? _Again_?"

The other 'him' shrugged. "Well, technically speaking, it's my house, too, so I figured I'd let myself in."

What the hell was this guy babbling about? _His_ house? That was a big, fat 'no.' "I thought I told Sebastian—"

"—To punch me in the face if I ever showed up here again? Yeah, he told me. At least until I told him the super secret password and explained a few things and then he welcomed me in with open arms." He looked up from the newspaper and held it up. "Even got me this paper to look at while I waited for you to get your butt down here."

...Sebastian did _what?!_ "That's it; he is _fired_. And _you_ , get the _hell_ out of my house!"

His alternate, however, just smiled innocently. "Nope. Sorry, can't do that yet. We have business to discuss first."

Zelos gaped at him—at the _gall_ of him. " _Seriously_?! I have _nothing_ to discuss with the likes of imposters like you." He pointed emphatically at the door. " _Get out!_ "

"Mm...no," the other him replied. "I know you've seen what I'm capable of, so good luck trying to make me. And yes, we _do_ have stuff to discuss. Lots of stuff, actually." He motioned at the chair across the table from him. "Have a seat."

"...Right," Zelos muttered, folding his arms to his chest. "By 'discuss' you actually mean _'find another body part of mine to break_.'"

His doppelganger rolled his eyes. "No, by 'discuss' I mean _discuss_. Y'know, _talk_. I didn't come here to fight you." He gave Zelos a semi-apologetic smile and motioned at his face. "And...yeah, sorry about the nose the other day. I kinda overreacted. But you _did_ deserve it." Well, yeah, Zelos probably _had_ deserved it, but he'd be damned if he admitted that to _this_ guy. "Good job patching it up, by the way. I wouldn't want my nose to be permanently disfigured, either, but it looks like you managed to get it back to normal."

...What in the world was this guy _doing_?! "What the _hell_?! You waltz in here acting as if you own the place, tell me we have 'things' to discuss, and all the while _you're_ _wearing my face_?! I think it's way past time you leave!"

"Wow, you must be in a bad place if you aren't even making snarky remarks yet, just snapping at me like a deranged turtle," his alternate quipped, _in his own voice_. "But then, I guess I would be too in your position. Now c'mon, don't be difficult. I don't have all the time in the world before Sheena comes here and hunts me down. So sit. Let's talk. I have a pretty major question to ask you."

Zelos laughed incredulously, although even to his ears it sounded like he was verging on hysteria. "Seriously? _Seriously?!_ Do you _really_ think I have _any_ reason to answer _any_ of your questions when _you're_ the intruder in _my_ house? I could have you arrested and thrown in jail for this!"

His doppelganger's eyes narrowed. "...And yet the fact that you haven't summoned the royal guard here to take me into custody yet confirms my hunch: you're curious about me, aren't you? You aren't just _pissed_ at me for wearing your face and walking into your home; you want to know who I am, why I look like you, and what I'm doing here before you ship me off to jail." Zelos didn't answer that, but again he was caught off guard by how _right_ the guy was. And after a moment, his alternate cleared his throat, folded the paper and threw it on the table, and leaned forward. "Listen, I'll make a deal with you. If you answer the one question I came here to ask you, then I'll answer every single one of your questions in return. Sound fair?"

The other 'him' smirked as Zelos hesitated again, considering that. He had to admit, he really did want answers to this craziness...was this guy saying he was willing to give them? And yet... "Not that I can believe a word you say, seeing as I already know you're a fake and a liar who's pretending to be me," he muttered.

"Am I?" his alternate replied, his smirk broadening. "Are you _sure_ of that? Or have you just not considered all of the possibilities yet of who I might be and why I look like you?"

Zelos folded his arms to his chest, his eyes narrowing further, nearly at the end of his rope with this guy and his mind games. Did he _really_ think Zelos was going to buy any of this? "Look, there isn't a chance in Niflheim that I'm gonna answer _any_ of your questions until you tell me _who the hell you are_."

His alternate's eyebrows rose. "And if I do that, will you sit down and answer my question?"

...Wait, what? He was actually willing to answer that? "...I'll think about it. It depends on your answer."

"Fair enough." The guy leaned back in his chair. "Well, let's start with this: who do _you_ think I am?"

Zelos eyed him closely, trying to see if there were any obvious indicators of this guy's identity. He looked _exactly_ like him, like Zelos Wilder, only with much shorter hair—not to mention a few different scars on his gloveless-arms—but it was impossible for him to be who he looked like. After all, _he_ was the only Zelos Wilder in existence (much to the chagrin of the ladies, he supposed, since he was sure they'd love to have another 'him' to fool around with...but that was neither here nor there right now... _stay focused, Wilder_ ). But this guy had a wedding ring on his finger, and Zelos couldn't forget that he'd not only been dressed up as a _ninja_ when he'd first seen him, but he'd also been with _Sheena_ —and since he'd mentioned her again a minute ago, that meant he was still in contact with her.

There was only one logical answer. "I still think you're Orochi disguised as me, for whatever reason."

The other 'him' rolled his eyes. "I'm not Orochi. Honest." He gave Zelos a pointed, scrutinizing look. "You really don't know about Orochi, do you?"

Zelos blinked at him blankly. "Know what?"

"Yeah, that's what you get for cutting yourself off from everyone you've ever known and cared about," his alternate muttered darkly. "Answer my question and I'll consider filling in that particular gap in your knowledge. But for now, try again. Who do you think I am? Who do I _look_ like?"

Agh, why couldn't he just _tell_ him? His scowl deepened. "I think we both know very well who you _look_ like, but you can't be me, so...Matthew Fenimore?"

The guy's face scrunched up in disgust. "Wait, are you saying _he's_ not in prison here, either?! Ugh, that's pathetic. I really _do_ have a lot of work to take care of before I head home. Your world is a mess. And you were right the first time: I'm you."

Yeah, right. That wasn't even an option. "Nice try, buddy, but there's only one me, and I know for _fact_ that _I'm_ the real Zelos Wilder."

"Well, you're _this_ world's real Zelos Wilder—yeah, I'll agree to that one," his alternate said, pointing at him. Zelos paused, trying to wrap his head around that, and the guy who looked like him smirked again. "Aha, got your interest, didn't I? You may be the authentic Zelos Wilder for this world, but in my world, _I'm_ the real Zelos Wilder." He motioned at the chair again. " _Now_ are you gonna have a seat?"

But still Zelos hesitated, continuing to stare at the guy who looked like him but _wasn't._ He wasn't sure yet if that made sense or not. "I can't say I believe you."

His doppelganger shrugged. "Whether you believe me or not, it's the truth. I'm from an alternate universe, brought here for...well, for a purpose we aren't gonna get into yet. Ask me anything only you would know." He lifted a hand. "Actually, let me qualify that: only ask me anything you would've known over seven years ago, which was apparently when our timelines split and our lives took drastically different routes. Y'know, something like that your password for Sebastian in case someone ever tried impersonating you is 'Melons Are Awesome.'"

Zelos folded his arms to his chest, his brain racing, trying to grasp what this guy was saying. An alternate Zelos Wilder, one from a different timeline? A timeline that had 'split' from his own seven years ago? It sounded absolutely crazy, and unbelievable, and impossible, and yet it made a shocking amount of sense... _if it were true_ , something he wasn't convinced of yet. "Who was my first girlfriend?"

"What, is that supposed to be a trick question?" his alternate replied. "You never had one—or at least not a _serious_ one—before the journey with Lloyd and the gang. That didn't stop you from going out with a different girl every other night and leading on the entire Tethe'allan female populace before that, but in your mind, you _never_ considered any of them to be real girlfriends. Madeline Baker was your fiancée for years, although you obviously haven't been forced to marry her here yet, so chances are you got rid of that unwanted requirement along with the title. Your first time was with those two thieving chicks when you were a teenager, but you never knew their names. And then there was Shirley...do you _really_ want me to rehash that unhappy saga for you right now? I don't particularly want to remember it, but if it'll convince you, I will."

Zelos cringed and shook his head. "Not necessary."

"Didn't think so. Oh, and I could tell you all about that box in the bottom left drawer of your bedroom vanity, the one where you keep all your—"

Okay, _that_ was enough of _that._ "Ah!" Zelos said, lifting his hands in the universal signal to _stop talking_. "Enough."

His doppelganger's smirk returned. "So you believe me?"

Did he? How was he supposed to believe that this guy was _him_ from an alternate universe? He'd never even heard of such a thing as cross-universe travel being possible, and he'd heard a lot of crazy stories before this. Although he'd never heard of it being _impossible,_ either, so he wasn't sure he could dismiss it. But how could this guy know all those details otherwise, things he'd made a point to never tell anyone? "I'm not sure yet. Well, unless you snooped through my stuff that day you broke in here..."

The other 'him' shook his head. "Even if I had, the items in that box would mean nothing to anyone but me, so I'd have no idea the significance they hold for you to mention it now."

"True," Zelos conceded. "I don't know how else you could possibly know all of that."

"...Unless I'm you?" Zelos nodded, and his alternate smiled faintly. "Believe me, I know how weird and crazy this all sounds. If it weren't for Verius vouching for me and my sanity a few days ago, Sheena never would've believed this was really happening, either."

What should he question first? The fact that Sheena actually _believed_ this guy was a Zelos from an alternate world—which apparently she did, since she'd said she had known he wasn't the real Zelos two days ago? Or... "...Verius?"

"He's the one who brought me here," his short-haired alternate replied. "I'm only here a few more days, though, and then I'll be out of your hair for good. Oh, and you'll get your clothes back then, because I have plenty at home. I just needed to borrow them a few days so I could pass as you without raising too many eyebrows or unnecessary questions, especially for Sheena."

...Ah. He supposed that made sense...sort of. "So if you're really a different version of me and not Orochi in disguise, then why were you wearing ninja clothes two days ago?" Before his alternate could answer, another nagging question popped into his mind because the light kept gleaming on it whenever the other 'him' moved his hand. "And whose ring is that? And _why_ are you here?" Sure, he didn't trust this guy yet, but he still desperately wanted those questions answered, and so, damn it, he would ask them and take this guy's words with a grain of salt.

His alternate, however, shook his head. "Uh uh. I answered your one burning question already; the rest will have to wait until later. I'm not telling you _anything_ else about me until you answer the question _I_ have for _you_."

 _Grr...am I really that stubborn and annoying?_ Zelos wondered. "And what question is that?"

The other 'him' looked him straight in the eye, no amusement on his face. "What happened between you and Sheena in this world? I've already heard her take on it; now I want to hear yours."

Instantly, Zelos bristled, rejecting all notion of doing so. That, like the godawful Shirley fiasco, was yet another sore subject he wanted nothing to do with. "Not gonna happen."

"C'mon," his doppelganger prodded, his face softening. "I'm already sitting here, talking to you against my better judgment; the least you can do is tell me your side of the story." Zelos didn't reply; he just eyed his alternate another moment before turning to leave. If _that_ was the question he had to answer before he could get all of _his_ answers, then he couldn't do it. And besides, he'd now had it with the craziness of this entire conversation, of this entire _situation,_ and just wanted out, especially before this guy could force him to relive _that_ particular nightmare. His alternate sighed, quickly going on before Zelos could escape to the kitchen. "Look, I already have a strong hunch that what _Sheena_ told me happened isn't what _actually_ happened. She's a tad one-sided in this. And while I know you are, too, I still want to hear it from you because I have another hunch I already know what _really_ happened between you two. I mean, as much as I hate to admit it, I _am_ you, in some weird, twisted way, and I suspect I know what I would've done in that situation. I just need to know if I'm right about that, and you're the only one who can tell me."

Zelos stopped and stood silently for a moment, thinking that through. While he hated to admit it, he really was tempted. His mind would never shut up with all its questions over this situation unless he got answers, and this could be the only opportunity he had to get them. And if this guy really was an alternate version of him...then he shouldn't have to explain _everything,_ right? Just the stuff that had happened since their 'timelines' had apparently split? Not that that was much comfort, because it still meant going through far too many memories that he never wanted to remember, but hey, he was nothing if not a masochist. That meant he should be able to deal with it, and with the fallout from it...right?

He looked over his shoulder at the other 'him'. "And in exchange, you'll answer all of my questions?"

"Assuming my hunch about what happened between you two is right, yeah. I'll answer pretty much anything you want to know."

Zelos turned back toward him. It was a tremendous price to pay for the answers he needed, but it was also likely the _only_ way to get the answers he needed. He considered it another moment, then decided he didn't have another choice and slowly sat down in the chair across the table from his alternate, eyeing him carefully. "You're really me?"

The other 'him' nodded. "I'm really you. Our timelines were identical until about seven years ago, when an event that happened one way in my world happened differently in yours."

Zelos's eyes narrowed. "And what event was that?"

He waved that off. "I'll answer all those other questions later. I promise. Just talk to me about Sheena and what caused your big blowout that resulted in you guys not speaking to each other the past few years."

Zelos didn't immediately start talking, though; for a moment, he just continued watching his alternate closely. If this guy really was him...what had he been through? What had happened differently in that world? How had this guy ended up with that wedding ring? Whose was it? Why did he keep talking about Sheena? And then there was the fact that he'd seemed so _familiar_ with Sheena the other day...no, it couldn't be. Or...could it? It was impossible that in _any_ world a version of Sheena Fujibayashi would put that ring on the finger of any Zelos Wilder...and yet he'd seen how this guy had looked at her. He recognized that look because it was the same look of affection and admiration he'd fought for years to keep off his own face whenever he saw her. Zelos had to know this, to hear the truth, because if his hunch _was_ right...

"That thing is hers, isn't it?" he asked, motioning at his doppelganger's hand. "Sheena's?"

The other Zelos hesitated, observing him carefully again, before replying, "This ring was given to me by the one woman I've ever truly loved and would do anything for, and who's ever truly loved me and would do anything for me."

Zelos wasn't sure how to interpret that. He wasn't sure if he should feel hopeful that there _was_ a chance Sheena might ever consider marrying him, or if the guy was talking about some other woman completely, but now he _really_ wanted answers to all of his questions. If telling this guy what _he_ wanted to know would get him those answers, then fine, he'd suck it up and do it. "Where do you want me to start?"

"The King's party after the worlds were reunited. Y'know, that night you started contemplating a new Grand Master Plan for your life."

That was...random. Zelos wasn't sure what to think about that, but he opted not to argue it. He shrugged. "There's not much to tell. It was a party. There were a lot of people there. Sheena and I talked for a bit, and then I cracked a dumb joke and she stormed off. Y'know, like she usually does. That was it."

His alternate motioned at him. "Go on."

"That was the last time I saw her for awhile. I mean, every now and then I ran into her when she was reporting to the king while she was still his emissary to Iselia, but she was always busy in Mizuho and didn't come to Meltokio any more than she had to, and even when she did, she certainly didn't drop by here just to chat. And then one day she stopped coming altogether."

"When was that?"

"Right before Hilda's birthday party."

"Mm," his alternate murmured. "Must've been hard for you not to see her all the time."

Zelos arched an eyebrow. That was...presumptuous. True, but presumptuous. "What makes you think that? It's not like I was ever lonely here or anything."

His alternate rolled his eyes. "Yeah, what with your adoring fan club, right? C'mon, you can drop the act with me. I was in love with her long before that journey with Lloyd and the gang ended, even if I had trouble admitting that to myself, so that means you were then, too. You can lie to yourself all you want, but you can't lie to me. I can see through your mask even more easily than you can, because at least I've learned to recognize it for what it is and figured out how to let it down. Trying to lie to me right now is...well, it's pretty damn pathetic, actually."

Agh, Zelos was already regretting having agreed to this conversation. He was so used to curbing everything he said, hamming it up, putting on the act for all it was worth, and remaining permanently hidden behind the mask. But apparently this guy, if he really was him, didn't do that anymore, and, worse, he was demanding that _Zelos_ not do it, either. Well, maybe _his_ life was all hearts and candy and roses and he felt comfortable being himself, but _Zelos's_ life was anything but. But then, if he didn't make an effort, he suspected this guy would just keep pestering him until he did. And if he didn't...well, then he probably wouldn't get his much-coveted answers.

"Okay, fine," he replied with a frown. "I'll admit it: I missed her. And the fact that she stopped coming here when she did, meaning I had no chance of bumping into her, sucked. I mean, that night at the party after she left, I realized how dumb it was for me to keep treating her like that. That realization kept nagging at me afterwards, and that nagging just picked up steam after I'd gotten the wheels started spinning to get rid of my title. I started thinking maybe I should do something to change that and, y'know, apologize to her and start treating her better. So I figured I'd make my first move and ask her to the princess's birthday party and hope that might start us in a different direction. I wasn't sure at the time how I'd manage that, seeing as I'm sure she would've been suspicious of my motives and flat-out told me 'no,' but I had to try something." His voice lowered as he remembered the disappointment and frustration that had accompanied this. "But she never came back to Meltokio after I'd decided to ask her. It was only then, a few days before the party, when I'd nearly run out of time and it was too late to hunt her down in Mizuho, that I learned she'd resigned her position as emissary. So I decided to write off that attempt and wait until the next time I saw her to give it a shot."

"I'm not surprised she resigned after only a few months," his alternate murmured. "In my world she never would've continued as long as she did either if not for my backing when it came to fighting Minister Giannovio and his idiotic ideas."

Zelos blinked. "Wait, she quit because of _Giannovio_?!" He couldn't believe this. Sure, it made sense, because Giannovio was a thorn in Tethe'alla's—and Sylvarant's—side to that day, but still! "Why didn't she say something! I would've gladly helped her fix that problem! I certainly hated the guy and wanted him gone, too, and I would've still had the clout at that point to do something about him!"

His alternate's eyebrows flew upward. "And do you really think she would've trusted you, an idiot who made her feel uncomfortable and embarrassed every time she tried to talk to you, enough to come to you with something like that? I mean, we both know Sheena and how proud, stubborn, and independent she is. In my world she told me what was going on and accepted my help, but by that point things between us were very different than they were here and she trusted me enough to do so."

"...Oh." No, he was right; Sheena never would have approached him with something like that, especially not with the way he'd always treated her. Not to mention she'd still been extremely wary of him after that whole Tower of Salvation betrayal thing—and rightfully so. Trusting him when he hadn't done anything to prove himself trustworthy would've been dumb, and 'dumb' was something she wasn't, no matter what he used to call her. He didn't deserve that kind of trust, and everything he'd done to her since then had proven why her distrust of him was validated. "No, you're right, she never would've come to me with that."

The other 'him' nodded. "Anyway, go on. So I'm assuming you went to Hilda's party with one of your hunnies instead and that Sheena didn't show up there that night."

"Well, I went by _myself_ , actually, but no, Sheena didn't go to it," Zelos replied. "I actually didn't see her again until New Year's."

His alternate's face lit up. "Oh, right, Lloyd's party."

...Huh. Apparently things weren't _that_ different between their worlds if the same events had happened in both. "I take it he threw a New Year's party in your world, too?"

"Yep. Hilda had her birthday party in my world, too." The other 'him' motioned at him. "But anyway, Lloyd's party?"

Ugh. This was where things started getting ugly. Zelos took a deep breath, reminding himself why he was recounting this, and went on. "Yeah, so after Lloyd dropped by and told me about it, and since my plan hadn't panned out for Hilda's party, I figured I should give it another shot with Sheena then. And what better time to start getting serious with her than when I could give her a gift? I figured I'd get her something nice that I knew she'd love and hope she realized I wasn't _completely_ hopeless, and, y'know, maybe give me a shot? I mean, I knew she deserved far better than me, but I'd gotten the impression that Lloyd was more interested in Colette than he was in her, and so that eliminated him as someone I would've trusted her with. And so I figured, what did I have to lose?"

His alternate smiled faintly. "So what did you get her?"

Zelos's heart sank further as he pictured it. "You know that guy in the research lab who makes those amazing sculptures?"

"Kent?"

"Yeah, him. Well, I knew he had a great memory, and so I asked if he could make something in the form of Corinne. What he came up with was this _amazing_ pendant of the little guy, one Sheena could wear on a bracelet or a necklace or whatever she wanted. It even had a little bell on it. Y'know, something so she could always keep him close to her."

His doppelganger's face softened. "She must've loved that."

A lump formed in his throat—and in the pit of his stomach—as he looked down at the coffee table. "Yeah, she probably would have," he whispered.

Even without looking up, he could see his alternate's eyebrows rise. "You didn't give it to her?"

Zelos sat quietly, his face darkening as he remembered that horrible night. "No, I didn't."

"You gave her something else?" his alternate pressed, his face wrinkling in confusion.

Zelos shook his head. "I didn't give her anything. I pulled the present before we started our gift exchange."

"...Even though you gave everyone else something?" Zelos nodded. "Why?"

Thankfully, his alternate didn't seem judgmental about that; he just seemed curious. He swallowed hard, his gaze still focused on the table. "Because that was the night she announced her engagement to Orochi."

"...Ah."

She had waited until dinner to casually drop that little tidbit—and it hadn't even been an announcement to them all, rather just to Colette during normal conversation. Colette, however, had suddenly squealed in excitement and started hugging her, which the rest of them had naturally noticed and asked about. " _Sheena is engaged to be married!_ " she'd exclaimed, which had set off a long series of excited exclamations and questions from everyone. From the moment those words had left Colette's mouth, though, Zelos had fallen completely silent, only able to listen slack-jawed as Sheena had explained. Orochi had apparently been courting her for a few months before that, and then only a week before New Year's, he had asked her to marry him, and she'd accepted. They were to be married soon, and then they would begin training to take over the roles of chief and chief consort in Mizuho. Everyone had congratulated her, excited for her to be the first of them to be getting married...except Zelos, who had been so stunned that he hadn't been able to think of a thing to say the entire time she'd been explaining the situation. She'd even shown them the simple ring Orochi had given her—hidden away in her pocket, not on her finger, because if she'd been wearing it where it belonged, Zelos would have immediately noticed it when he'd first seen her earlier that evening.

At the time, though, no one had asked the main question that had popped into Zelos's mind: if Orochi was now her fiancé, then why hadn't she brought her 'significant other' to the party with her? Eventually he'd regained use of his voice and asked her that (" _So Sheena, where is your lovely fiancé tonight? I would've thought you'd have dragged him here to show him off to us_ "), to which she'd looked at him as if he was crazy. " _Why would he want to come to this? This is a gathering of friends_." And that, especially combined with the ring she'd kept hidden away even though it fit her perfectly, the same ring she'd put back in her pocket after showing them instead of wearing it proudly like any _normal_ woman celebrating her engagement would, had been his first clue: she wasn't all that enthused about marrying him. If she had been, she would have been far more excited and eager to talk about it—hell, those would've been the first words out of her mouth when she'd arrived earlier rather than as an aside to Colette—and she _certainly_ would've at least _invited_ Orochi to the party. And so his stunned, devastated hope, particularly after the weeks he'd spent thinking about what to give her and working up the nerve to actually do so, even going so far as to write her a heartfelt note to go with his present, had latched onto that uncertainty and...well, okay, so he really _had_ become obnoxious about it.

" _Tell us about your beautiful courtship_ ," he'd said.

Her eyes had narrowed. " _What?_ "

" _You said he courted you. How'd he win your heart?_ "

Sheena had blushed. " _He gave me little things. We went on some walks together. It was nice_."

" _Sounds insanely hot and passionate and romantic_ ," Zelos had deadpanned.

She'd glared at him as if he'd grown another head. " _What? Orochi is a nice guy! He knows Mizuho as well as I do and will be a good husband and chief consort_."

The title of 'chief consort' had piqued his interest then, but he still didn't know what it was and, well, he hadn't thought it worth asking about seeing has he'd had plenty of other things to consider at the time. Never once during her defense of Orochi had she said she loved him or was looking forward to marrying him, and he'd been listening for it. And the way she'd talked about it, too, had been a huge sign that something was wrong; there was a _dullness_ in her voice when she'd talked about Orochi, and he couldn't forget that the announcement had come from _Colette_ , and only as a result of casual conversation, too.

" _Wow_ ," he'd stated, not even trying to mask his sarcasm. " _Sounds fantabulous. You must be thrilled. I can see the googly stars of love clouding your eyes right now._ "

Everyone else at the table had glared at him and shot him down after that, insisting he should be excited for her, even while Sheena had frowned as she'd looked at him, her face growing red. At that point he'd decided to shut up for the time being, but the feelings of anger and annoyance and a need to expose her true feelings on the matter had persisted, getting stronger every time he'd looked at her. He'd found himself getting quiet but cold during the rest of the dinner, and he'd kept looking at her in hopes of getting answers and silently pleading for her to announce that she wasn't really going to go through with it—to which she'd just given him confused, prompting looks—but he'd barely spoken to her after that. Even all the flirting he'd done with her up to then—because how could he _not_ have been flirting with her before that?—abruptly stopped.

While he'd somehow managed to make it through dinner, after they'd finished he'd been unable to contain himself any longer. He'd needed fresh air, needed to clear his head and get away from the persisting excitement over her engagement and all the questions about the wedding, and so he'd slipped outside, despite the snow awaiting him there. Naturally, the first question he'd mulled over was whether or not to still give her the present he'd gotten her—after all, what had it mattered anymore when she was already off the market?—but ultimately he'd decided the hell with it, he would give it to her anyway. Until she had a wedding ring on her finger, he'd told himself, anything could've changed. Mostly, though, he'd been pissed at himself, particularly after hearing their engagement had only happened a week before. If he hadn't waited so long to come clean with her, would things have been different? Would he have stood a chance with her? Had he permanently lost any chance he'd had? That had looked likely. Part of him, though, had also been pissed at her. What in Tethe'alla had she been _thinking_ agreeing to marry that boring ninja when it was painfully obvious to him, if not to their friends, that she didn't love him? That was where his mind had been when she'd come outside to find him and tell him it was time to exchange gifts, and since those particular emotions had been overwhelming at the time, that was what he'd confronted her about.

" _So, you're getting married, huh?_ " he'd said.

Sheena had nodded curtly. " _Yeah, I am_."

" _To Orochi_."

She'd pulled a face, clearly wondering why he was asking that when she'd made the answer plenty clear earlier. " _Yeah...?_ "

" _When's the wedding?_ "

" _In two months_." Zelos had snorted in disgust, and she'd frowned again. " _Zelos, what's wrong? What's going on with you? You're acting really weird about this. Not to mention surprisingly hostile_."

Yeah, he had been, and he'd understood her confusion, but he couldn't help it, and no matter how hard he'd tried, he hadn't been able to calm himself down enough to put on the mask and pretend everything was fine. Very few things in life had ever upset him as much as that news had, and it hadn't just been because Sheena was getting married to a man who wasn't him—although that had been part of it, too. At the time, Zelos couldn't put his finger on what it was, but he'd soon figured it out: he was pissed because she was marrying someone she didn't love and clearly wouldn't be happy with, and no one else, let alone _her,_ seemed at all concerned about that. Did none of their friends care about her happiness? _Really_ care? Just because someone was getting married meant that person _must_ be happy about it? How did _that_ work? Maybe he was just cynical because he'd seen so many miserable marriages in Meltokio, or maybe it was because his own parents had been forced into a loveless marriage for the sole purpose of creating him, but how could he wish anything even remotely like that on Sheena? Or maybe he'd just been irrationally, insanely jealous of the fact that _she was marrying Orochi, not him_ , despite the fact that he'd never made any real effort before that to try to change her mind about him.

 _She deserves better than me, but then, she deserves better than what she'll be getting with Orochi, too_ , Zelos had told himself at the time.

He'd abruptly turned to face her, needing to see her eyes—because Sheena's eyes always gave her away, whether she was being truthful or lying. " _Sheena, what do you think you're doing? What could you possibly be_ _ **thinking**_?"

Her eyes had narrowed slightly. " _What do you mean?_ "

" _You're marrying_ _**Orochi**_!"

She'd blinked at him. " _Yes, I am. What's wrong with that?_ "

Zelos had gaped at her. " _Sheena, it's_ _**Orochi**_ _!"_

But still she hadn't gotten his point. " _So? What's the big deal?_ "

" _You and Orochi have about as much chemistry as a pencil and a frying pan! And you're_ _ **marrying**_ _him?_ "

" _Chemistry has nothing to do with it, Zelos_ ," she'd replied, giving him a confused look. He'd been amazed by how calm and clueless she'd been at the time. " _He's a nice guy. He'll make a good husband_."

And that had been _exactly the problem._ He'd motioned at her. " _Sheena, listen to yourself! I'm not saying he's not a good guy, but the best his own_ _ **fiancée**_ _can say about him is that he's 'nice' and 'will be a good husband'?_ "

And again she'd blinked at him, shaking her head faintly. " _Zelos, I honestly have no idea what you're going on about_."

He distinctly remembered having to bite back a growl at her denseness. " _Okay, fine. If you still aren't getting it, then I'll stop being subtle about this. Do you love him?_ "

Her eyes had widened, telling him his words had taken her aback. " _What?_ " she'd asked, her voice lowering.

" _Orochi. Do you love him?_ "

" _What does that have to do with...?!_ "

" _It's a simple question, Sheena!_ _ **Do you love him?**_ "

She'd eyed him closely. " _Zelos, what are you doing?_ "

" _Just answer the damn question!_ " he'd demanded. " _ **Do. You. Love. Him?**_ "

Sheena had continued gaping at him a moment, and he would've had to be blind not to see the anger building in her brown eyes. " _Zelos, stop. Just stop, okay?_ "

He'd shaken his head, no longer able to think rationally about whether or not that was really the best way to be handling the situation. " _I'm sorry, Sheena, but no, I won't. I want to hear you say the words_."

" _Wow_ ," she'd stated flatly, folding her arms to her chest. " _Why are you so_ _ **mad**_ _about this?_ "

But he'd ignored her, dead set as he'd been in getting her to just answer his question. " _You can't say them because you don't, do you?_ "

Sheena had shaken her head in stunned amazement, likely even in disgust, annoyance, anger, and maybe, he'd wanted to believe, a bit of fear. " _That is none of your business, and how dare you presume to be an expert about things you know nothing about!_ "

He'd taken that as her answer. Mirroring her stance, he'd likewise folded his arms to his chest. " _That's what I thought._ "

" _You've always been obnoxious and lacking in the tact department, Zelos, but this is pushing it, even for you_ ," she'd said.

He'd arched a challenging eyebrow at her. " _Three simple words, Sheena. That's all it would take to get me off your back_."

Sheena had waved that off. " _This conversation is over. I have no idea why you're so upset and being such a jerk about this. I expected you'd all be happy for me and congratulate me, and you're the last person I expected would've been this_ _ **hostile**_ _about it!_ "

" _Guess you don't know anything about me then, do you?_ "

" _Well, I guess I'm finding out now, aren't I?_ " she'd countered. " _This is my decision, Zelos, and it's already been made. I'm not gonna change my mind, no matter what it is you think you're insinuating. Don't bring it up again._ "

" _I can't promise that_."

She'd ignored that and had turned, heading back toward the door. " _I'm going back inside. We're opening presents, if you'd like to join us_."

" _Oh, and by the way, congratulations on getting to spend the rest of your life in a boring, loveless marriage!_ " he'd thrown at her before she could open the door and step inside, once again making no effort to hide his sarcasm.

Sheena had stopped, turned, and glared back at him, her anger building again, and it had been obvious she'd had to literally force herself not to walk back over to him and slug him. " _I'm gonna ignore that_ ," she'd said through gritted teeth. " _This is supposed to be a fun, happy night, Zelos, not...whatever the hell you're trying to turn it into, and I refuse to be sucked into whatever bizarre mood you're currently in. Now, are you coming back inside or not?_ " Instead of answering, Zelos had just looked away from her, fuming, just _knowing_ she had rolled her eyes at him. " _Fine, be that way. I'll just tell the others you're being a brat and throwing a hissy fit like a three-year old over nothing_."

She had slammed the door shut behind her, and he had stayed outside another few minutes before following. She had inadvertently confirmed his hunch simply by refusing to answer his question, and what made him even madder was that she didn't seem to care. It was at that moment that he'd decided to be the three-year-old she saw him as and not give her his gift, to tell her he'd 'forgotten' to get her something, even if he gave everyone else something. He'd finally gone back inside, grabbed his bag with the gifts, pulled out her special gift and the card, hid it with his coat, and then headed back to the party. At the time he'd felt smugly satisfied when he'd seen her face fall as he'd coldly stated, " _Whoops, guess I forgot about you_ ," but that satisfaction had quickly turned to emptiness, guilt, and regret. She had been hurt by that, deeply—even through his puerile anger he'd been able to see that—but she'd quickly covered it over and waved it off as 'no big deal' (although their friends hadn't been quite as tolerant of his 'slip,' not that he'd been in any kind of mood to humor their demands that he get her something ASAP). The rest of the night she had made a point to ignore and avoid him, though, to the point of refusing to even look at him. And the next morning, she hadn't said goodbye to him or given him a hug, like she had with everyone else, although she'd extended her invitation to the wedding to _all_ of them, Zelos included, promising she'd send them more details later.

"So basically you took the passive-aggressive jackass route with her when you found out she was marrying another guy," Zelos's alternate stated.

"I was hoping by pointing out that she'd be marrying someone she didn't love that she'd reconsider and call it off," Zelos replied, folding his arms to his chest. "I mean, how could I just stand back and not try to convince her what a bad idea it was so she'd change her mind before it was too late? How could I let her do something that would result in all of her passion draining out of her having to live with a boring guy like Orochi when she's so full of life and fire and deserves someone who'll challenge her and make her _feel_? I had to do _something_ to try to stop her from making a horrible mistake!"

There was no trace of amusement on his alternate's face as he observed him. "You could've done that without being such a jerk, though, no matter how vindictive and justified you must've felt at the time to see her hurt the same way her decision hurt you."

"It's not like I'm _proud_ of how I treated her!" Zelos countered. That was actually an understatement; he outright _hated_ himself for what he'd done to her. But at the time he'd been so mad—at her for accepting Orochi's proposal and at himself for not acting soon enough—and devastated that he hadn't seen any alternatives. "I was just so upset about the whole situation, and hurt, and...okay, so I was jealous, too. You're right, I childishly wanted to hurt her the way I was hurting at the time, and I could see it worked. In retrospect, I knew very well that it wasn't my greatest idea ever to act like that and refuse to give her that gift. But it's not like giving it to her would've changed anything anyway."

His doppelganger shrugged. "Maybe; maybe not. I guess you'll never know now."

"No, I won't." Because what had happened had been said and done years ago. "The time for fixing things is long past; I can't change anything now." He motioned at his alternate expectantly. "And besides, if you're really me, then what would _you_ have done in that situation?"

"This isn't about me," the other 'him' replied softly, his face growing somber and sad, but then he quickly cleared his throat. "Anyway, what happened after that? Based on what Sheena told me, more happened before she wrote you out of her life for good."

Oh, yeah. More had happened after that. And each new thing was worse than the last. "I didn't see her again until a few days before the wedding. Some random ninja dropped off the invitation a few weeks before that, with a cordial note asking that I RSVP if I'd be attending. She also included a long, detailed description of what the wedding would be like, what I could or could not do, what I could or could not say, what I should or should not bring, and so on, to make sure I'd comply with Mizuho's traditions."

His alternate nodded faintly. "Yeah, Mizuho weddings are complicated affairs. They have more traditions that need to be adhered to than you have hunnies. I'm sure she sent an identical list to all of our friends."

Zelos's eyes narrowed. How did his alternate know that? Was it from personal experience? Or had he heard about it from someone? "Yeah, well, from my perspective it looked like she was putting a leash on me to make sure I didn't wreck it by saying or doing something 'inappropriate.'"

"...Or there could be that," the other 'him' conceded with a tilt of his head. "But I can assure you she relayed the same information to everyone not from Mizuho who attended the wedding, either in writing or in person."

"Whatever," Zelos said, brushing that off. He still thought it was more likely that Sheena had wanted to make sure he didn't embarrass her there. "Anyway, I was having trouble deciding whether or not to actually go because, y'know, despite the invitation, I had some serious doubts she really wanted me there after what happened at New Year's, so I put off RSVPing. And then two days before the wedding, she hunted me down in Meltokio."

He'd been on his way back to his mansion after a particularly irritating meeting with the king and Minister Giannovio when Sheena had found him. He'd already been in a nasty, rotten mood, it had been pouring outside, he'd been making a beeline home to change out of his wet clothes and dry his pretty hair, and then suddenly he'd turned a corner and found himself face to face with Sheena, leaning back against the outer gate to his mansion, her arms crossed tightly to her chest, standing beneath an overhang to stay dry. He'd been surprised to see her there—she hadn't given him any indication she'd planned on dropping by—and he hadn't been sure what it meant, but he doubted it could be anything good, and because of his already awful mood, he hadn't wanted to deal with her right then. After all, it wasn't like his feelings on her impending wedding had changed since New Year's, and unless she'd had a drastic change of heart since the invitation had arrived, he had a strong hunch he already knew what this particular 'conversation' would devolve into. The problem had been that he'd had no way to avoid her, seeing as she'd been standing mere feet ahead of him, and so he'd had no choice but to go through with it and find out what she wanted.

" _Hi_ ," she'd said. She had actually smiled and seemed rather friendly at that point, and for a moment Zelos had found himself wondering if she'd been hoping to pretend that whole New Year's fiasco had never happened and act normally with him.

But he hadn't had the capacity—or the decency—at that point to respond similarly. He had still been pissed at her, he'd been stuck in that godawful mood, he'd been drenched, and he'd been afraid that if he tried to talk to her, he'd do something drastic and stupid...like kiss her to show her the passion she'd be missing in her life if she married Orochi. And that was...well, that was something he _could not_ do. And so he'd done as he always seemed to do with her: he reverted to using the obnoxious Chosen One mask that he knew would get a rise out of her, despite the fact that he'd long since shed the title and held nothing but revulsion and disgust toward that mask.

" _Well, well, if it isn't my voluptuous—and currently very_ _ **wet**_ _—banshee!_ " he'd quipped as lightly and irritatingly as he could. " _Finally came to your senses two days before the wedding and decided to see what it would be like to be with a_ _ **real**_ _manly man, eh?_ "

And instantly, as he'd expected, the friendliness on her face had faltered. " _Zelos, stop it. I don't want to fight with you right now_."

" _Well, tough. I'm feeling feisty today_." He'd cleared his throat, telling himself to stay off of _himself_ as the topic; she'd find out soon enough just what kind of mood he was in. " _No, but seriously, have you done the smart thing yet and dumped your boring-as-watching-paint-dry, hopefully-not-soon-to-be husband?_ "

The last traces of friendliness had vanished from her face, replaced instead by a warning scowl. " _Zelos..._ "

" _Or maybe, y'know, you've fallen madly in love with him since I last saw you and now you two have already gotten started passionately making little ninja babies who'll come out of the womb with shurikens already in hand_."

He could see her take a deep breath, despite the steam that had started seeping out of her ears. " _ **Really**_ _? You're going to be like_ _ **this**_ _again?_ "

Zelos had folded his arms to his chest, trying to ignore the cold rain still falling on him—there was no way he was sneaking under the overhang with her when he was already desperately trying not to kiss her and prove how wrong she had everything—and gave her a cold look. " _Why are you here, Sheena? Really_."

" _I came to see if you were coming to the wedding, since you never responded to the invitation. But now I'm starting to think I wasted my time_."

" _Yeah, just like you're going to be wasting the rest of your life being chained to someone you don't love_ ," he'd muttered darkly.

Sheena had shaken her head, eyeing him with obvious disgust. " _You really are a jerk, Zelos, aren't you?_ "

He'd waved that off, needing, again, to get the subject off of _him_ and back onto _her_ and her ridiculously stupid decision to marry Orochi. " _Sheena, I'm going to ask you this one more time, and hopefully this time you'll give me a straight answer. Do you love Orochi?_ "

She had growled and pointed at him angrily. " _My emotions are_ _ **none of your damn business**_ _, Zelos_."

...Just as he'd expected. And just like that, his mood had darkened even further. " _And yet again you just sidestepped the question, Sheena—which answers it far more clearly than I think you_ _ **think**_ _it does_."

" _Emotions are expressed differently in Mizuho, Zelos_ ," she'd countered. " _You have_ _ **no right**_ _to judge me over things you know_ _ **nothing**_ _about!_ "

" _Yeah, I remember you telling me that last time. And I'll ask you again: are you_ _ **seriously**_ _planning to spend the_ _ **rest of your life**_ _married to a man you don't love?_ "

Sheena had thrown her hands up in the air. " _Agh, you are_ _ **impossible**_ _! I never said I didn't love him!_ " She had motioned at him. " _And like_ _ **you**_ _have_ _ **any**_ _right to talk about being with someone you don't love anyway, considering how you flit from hunny to hunny faster than a gnat flits between rotting fruits! You can't tell me you seriously_ _ **love**_ _every one of those ditzy, garish women you bring to your bed!_ "

 _Oh, Sheena, if you only knew the truth about those hunnies_ , he'd thought ruefully _._ But at that point he'd opted to stick to the ruse, seeing as acknowledging just how many 'hunnies' he'd ever had in his bed would have just raised too many questions about _him_ that he definitely didn't want to answer. " _Believe me,_ _ **hunny**_ _, I'm not trying to pass that off as_ _ **love**_ _; I know the difference between love and lust, thanks. But this isn't about_ _ **me**_ _; this is about_ _ **you**_ _, Sheena, and I know you. You keep describing Orochi as 'nice,' but '_ _ **nice'**_ _is the_ _ **last**_ _thing a woman like you needs in her life._ "

Her eyebrows had flown upward. " _Oh, and I suppose what I really need is a perverted, selfish idiot like_ _ **you**_ _in my life!_ "

" _Well, it would certainly be a step up! At least we have chemistry and passion and sparks fly when we're together! And believe me, hun, I'd be more than willing_." But that had been getting way too close to the truth for his comfort, and again Zelos had realized he needed to divert her attention elsewhere, immediately. " _But like I said, this isn't about me; it's about you making a horrible mistake and paying for it the rest of your life. How can you willingly walk into a loveless marriage like this?_ "

" _It will never be a loveless marriage!_ " she'd countered. " _Orochi loves me!_ "

" _ **But you don't love him**_! _Why can't you just admit that?!_ "

And again, she had growled in frustration. " _You think you know me so well, Zelos, don't you?! But the truth is_ _ **you know nothing about me**_ _!"_

He'd smirked nastily. " _Oh, I know you far better than you want to admit,_ _ **hunny**_."

" _ **No. You. Don't**_ ," she'd seethed, her brown eyes wild with rage. " _I don't get you, Zelos. I've never seen you like this before. Why are you acting like this?_ " But before he could even think of a sarcastic retort to once again divert her off the subject of _him_ , she'd thrown her hands up in the air. " _No, you know what,_ _ **I don't even want to know**_ _. I don't want to talk about this anymore, because you're being a stubborn_ _ **idiot**_ _right now._ "

" _Maybe, but at least_ _ **I'm**_ _not the one who's refusing to face her true feelings and what they're gonna bring her in the future_ ," Zelos had snapped back at her.

Sheena had been breathing heavily, her nostrils flaring, as she glared at him. " _This conversation is_ _ **over**_ _. Now, despite this bizarre, obnoxious, infuriating stupidity you keep displaying that, for the life of me, I just_ _ **can not**_ _understand, you're still a friend, Zelos, and you're still invited to my wedding_." Before his eyes, she had visibly softened, just a little. " _Are you coming to it or not?_ "

He had paused, considering that. Heaven knew the last thing in the world he wanted to do was _that,_ to watch her marry a man she would never be happy with, and yet the fact that she had _still_ been asking him, almost _hopefully_ , even when she could've told him she didn't want him there anymore after how he'd been acting, made him say the words before he could talk himself out of them. " _I'll be there_." Before she could reply, though, he quickly walked around her and headed through the gate to his mansion. " _Now if you'll excuse me, my hair is getting wet_." He could hear her growl, maybe even scream, in response, and then she stormed away, her footsteps stomping loudly through a puddle, but Zelos didn't look back at her. He'd hated himself for what he was doing to her, he'd hated the entire situation and wished everything was different, but it seemed nothing he'd tried could talk sense into her, and so at that point all he could do was concede defeat, go to her damn wedding, wish her the best, and then make a point to avoid her for, well, the rest of his life.

"But you never went."

Zelos gave his alternate a wry grin. "That's the thing: I _did_ go."

His doppelganger's eyes narrowed. "But Sheena said you were a no-show."

"That's because she never saw me—none of them did." Agh, he'd have to go through all of _these_ memories, too, wouldn't he? _Just remember all the answers he promised you'll get in return_ , Zelos told himself. "I decided I'd buck it up, put on my best face, relinquish the fight knowing I'd tried but lost, and go to it, no matter how hard it might be and no matter how big of a mistake I thought she was making. But when I got there, before I'd even entered the village, I saw her talking to Colette, dressed up in her traditional Mizuhoan wedding kimono, looking absolutely incredible, and I...I froze, especially when I saw there was no excitement on her face. In fact, it looked like she was still uncertain about the whole thing—and I'm positive it wasn't just nerves, it was uncertainty. I tried to suck it up and walk up to her, be polite, and congratulate her, but I couldn't. Martel help me, I _couldn't_. My legs refused to move. I couldn't stand there in the background, silently condoning the future she was bringing on herself, especially seeing that _she_ even recognized that she wasn't looking forward to it."

"Was it really that, that you just wanted to see her happy?" his alternate prodded, arching an eyebrow. "Or were you just mad that she'd accepted Orochi's proposal before you had a chance to make things right with her?"

...This guy really was him, wasn't he? He had to be, because he knew too many things Zelos had never told anyone, things he'd done everything he could to hide from the world. "...I'd be lying if I didn't say both. But I was never mad at _her_ , not really. I was..."

"...You were mad at yourself for not working up the courage to act before it was too late."

"...Yeah." Definitely. It was something he would regret to his dying day: that he hadn't even had a _chance_ with her. Sheena had always deserved far better than him, and he'd known it better than anyone, but still...his heart would never forgive him for not even _trying_ , for not seeing if he was capable of doing _something_ right with her. It was too late now, though; that was a chance he'd lost years ago. "But there again, I didn't realize all of that at the time; I just knew I couldn't stay at that wedding." No, at the time he'd known his heart had been aching, _dying,_ with regret and longing and anger and frustration and hopelessness over his inability to change the situation, and that unholy amalgam of emotions had overwhelmed him and refused to let him stay in Mizuho. "And so I left."

His doppelganger nodded thoughtfully. "According to Sheena, you were busy in bed with a hunny while she was off getting married."

Zelos snorted. "Yeah...not exactly." Seeing his alternate's eyes narrow, he sighed. It didn't pay to hide this, either. "Yeah, I spent the rest of the day—and that entire night—in my mansion, but not with a hunny. I was alone the whole time—even gave Sebastian the day off and told him to get lost. And then I did what I had to do to get through it: I got totally plastered. Which, mind you, took quite a few bottles of the hardest stuff I had, thanks to my angel physiology."

"Yeah, tell me about it," the other 'him' muttered. "I've only managed to get wasted once since the angel transformation. Royally pissed off my wife when she found me like that, too." He shrugged. "Of course, it led to some positive results and discoveries, so I can't worry about it too much now, but I swore I'd never let it happen again. So far it hasn't."

"Apparently you're smarter than me since that was just the first time of many," Zelos replied. He could really use a drink right now, actually.

"I had incentive not to do it again. It doesn't sound like you did."

"That's one way to put it," Zelos mumbled. Simply put, no one cared enough to stop him. It wasn't like he'd become an alcoholic or anything, but he definitely had found himself relying on it more and more heavily to get through the pain and emptiness. "That time was the worst, though."

His alternate nodded thoughtfully. "So you didn't see her again after that?"

Again, Zelos snorted. "Not quite. So there I was the next morning, completely hung over, when who showed up at my door at an ungodly hour of the morning but Lloyd Irving. I could barely stand up straight at that point, and my head was pounding like a deranged drummer from Niflheim, and then he came barging in, demanding to know where I'd been the previous day, asking if I was okay and telling me everyone had been worried sick that something had happened to me when I hadn't shown up. And genius me resorted to the Chosen One act to get him off my back."

" _Oh, was that yesterday?_ " he'd replied as blasély as he could. " _Y'know, I got completely caught up here and forgot all about it. See this hunny came over and one thing led to another and, well, you know me! I did what I had to do! I mean, I can't let my adoring fans down now, can I?_ "

Every trace of concern Lloyd had been displaying toward him had dropped in the blink of an eye, replaced by an anger Zelos had never seen from him before. " _Are you saying you skipped Sheena's wedding so you could_ _**fool around with one of your hunnies**_?!"

Zelos had given him the best innocent look he'd been able to manage, given how awful he'd felt. " _What? It was an accident! I lost track of time! The Great Zelos has a populace to please, and I couldn't very well let her walk away disappointed, could I?_ " To seal the deal he'd swept his hand up to his eyes and released an exaggerated sigh. " _Alas, the trials and tribulations of being as rich and famous and fabulous and desirable as I am..._ "

Lloyd had just gaped at him disbelievingly for a full minute—Zelos knew because he'd counted the seconds—before his face had suddenly grown so hard that Zelos had been sure it had transformed into an iron slab. " _What happened to you, Zelos?_ " he'd asked, his voice low, warning...dangerous.

Zelos had blinked at him blankly. " _What? You don't like the awesomely amazing stud muffin that I am? Well, then, why are you still standing there? This is just the way my life is. Always has been; always will be._ "

" _I thought I'd figured out who you really were, Zelos_ ," Lloyd had replied, his voice unchanged. " _But this...if this is the real you, then you're disgusting. You have no idea how upset and worried Sheena was. She tried to wait until you got there, but when you never showed up, she finally had to let the ceremony start. She deserved so much better than this from you, and on a day that's so special to her, too! I thought you were our friend...despite the way you always used to treat her, I thought you were_ _ **her**_ _friend, that you at least respected and cared about her enough to not do something like_ _ **this**_ _to her. But now I guess we've seen your true colors. You're not someone I want to call my friend anymore."_ He'd turned and headed down the steps, never looking back as he added, _"Don't worry, I won't come back_."

Lloyd's words had hurt, far worse than Zelos had anticipated. They'd been nothing less than a dagger to his heart, actually. Even if what he'd told Lloyd had been a blatant lie, to know he'd just permanently lost one of the only real friends he'd ever had, all because he'd been a coward who couldn't sit through a simple wedding...he'd felt empty, and alone, and worthless, and like a wimp who'd had to run away instead of facing reality and lending his friends the support they deserved. None of that would've happened if he'd only been able to convince himself to stay. But now...now his idiocy had cost him dearly, a price he would never be able to earn back...a price that for over six years he _hadn't_ been able to earn back, nor had he even tried because he knew how hopeless it would be. That moment, that decision, was just another of the many things he'd done that he would regret to his dying day—another painful memory to put in that box of regrets he kept in his vanity to remind himself of all the bad decisions he'd ever made.

But the worst had been yet to come. As he'd feared, only a few hours after Lloyd had stormed off, his already godawful day had gotten that much worse. There'd come a knock on the door, and next Zelos knew he'd been staring at a face he'd suddenly realized he never wanted to see again: Sheena's. Lloyd, naturally, had reported to her everything Zelos had told him earlier. One look at her had told him exactly what she was feeling: utterly livid, perhaps even bordering on murderous. He had seen her angry at him before, plenty of times, but it had never looked like _that_.

And Zelos, being the hopeless, unrepentant idiot he was, instead of coming clean and risking exposing his true feelings only to be rejected and ridiculed for them, had opted to stick to the story he'd told Lloyd. His eyes had fallen on the ring on her finger—confirmation that she'd actually gone through with that damn wedding and was now married to Orochi—and his heart had hurt unbearably, he'd just wanted to get as far away from her as he could before he threw a fit or broke down crying, and so he'd done what he'd had to do to make that happen, falling back yet again on the stupid Chosen One act, complete with an overabundance of snarkiness, sarcasm, and obnoxiousness. He'd been completely prepared to push any buttons he'd had to to get her away from him for good so he didn't have to face the reality of what he'd done and what he'd lost before he'd even had a chance to find it.

He'd plastered on the smarmy grin. " _Well, well, look who's here! If it isn't the voluptuous banshee herself._ "

" _You promised you were going to come_ ," she'd growled, her voice tight, making it obvious she was barely holding her fury in check.

And he'd just arched an eyebrow and nonchalantly asked, " _To what_?"

Her lips had parted. " _To what?_ _ **To what?!**_ _My wedding. Yesterday? Remember that?_ "

Zelos had shrugged. " _So what if I didn't make it there? I had things to do_."

" _You mean you had_ _ **women**_ _to do_ ," she'd spat, folding her arms to her chest.

" _So? What's your point?_ "

For a moment, Sheena had just gaped at him incredulously. " _Do you even_ _ **realize**_ _how horrible every single word you've just said to me has been?_ "

He'd given her a goofy—and most definitely _fake_ —grin. " _I see nothing wrong with any of it from_ _ **my**_ _point of view_."

She had shaken her head in pure disgust, looking at him as one looked at a fly buzzing about a lump of dung. Ironic, because that was what he'd felt like at that moment. " _I have no idea who you are anymore, Zelos_."

But despite how awful he'd felt, he'd just continued hamming up the act even further...and digging the knife in deeper. " _Aw, looks like_ _ **someone**_ _didn't have a good wedding night! What's the matter, Orochi didn't live up to your expectations? Didn't_ _ **please**_ _you like a real man would?_ " He knew he was pushing her too far, especially dragging sex into the conversation, but that was the point: he couldn't stand being around her anymore, and he had to find a way to get her out of his life for good. He was just curious to see how much it would take to push her over that edge. " _Well, I guess that's what happens when you marry someone you don't love, someone you have no chemistry with, someone about whom the best you can say is how_ _ **nice**_ _they are_." He'd sidled up directly in front of her, leaned closer to her, and gave her his most despicable smirk. " _I can show you how it's_ _ **supposed**_ _to be done, you know..._ "

And then she'd smacked him, hard, just as Zelos had expected she would. " _You're despicable_ ," she'd spat out, seething, her voice laced with deadly venom.

He'd taken the blow without flinching and stood up straight, looking down at her coolly. " _So why are you here anyway when you just got married yesterday? Why aren't you off cavorting with your new husband, showing him what a tigress you are in bed?_ "

Her hands had clenched into fists. " _What is your_ _ **problem**_ _, Zelos?! I can't_ _ **believe**_ _you!_ "

" _Neither can I!_ " he'd quipped, lifting his hands to feign amazement. " _Every woman just wants me so bad! Even the ones who now have husbands to take care of all their carnal needs_ _ **still**_ _come hunting me down, desperate to get in my bed! I am just_ _ **soooooo**_ _irresistible, wouldn't you agree?_ "

She had closed her eyes, growled, but surprisingly _not_ smacked him again. " _Seriously, Zelos, knock it off. What's with you? Why are you acting like this?_ "

He'd given her a blank, innocent look. " _What? After everything I've already told you, do you really expect me to suddenly do an about-face and approve of your marriage? Or of the fact that you really want to spend_ _ **the rest of your life**_ _married to a man you've made it abundantly clear you don't love?_ "

Sheena had motioned at him derisively. " _I still can't believe_ _ **you**_ _, of all people, are trying to lecture me about love! What do you know about it, huh? You just jump every girl who comes into your sight!_ "

He'd shrugged again. " _So what if I do? I'm not trying to pretend that's love! I know better than that! And notice I haven't_ _ **married**_ _any of them yet, have I?_ "

" _Agh, you're_ _ **disgusting**_ _!_ " she'd retorted, turning around and lifting her hands in frustration. " _There's no way you'd ever understand this_." She'd suddenly spun around and pointed at him. " _And you still have no right to say I_ _ **don't**_ _love him!_ _ **You know nothing**_ _!"_

They'd just kept talking circles around that point, making Zelos feel like a broken record. " _No, Sheena, this is something I know way too well._ _ **You don't love him**_ _; I have no doubt about that_."

" _You're unbelievable!_ "

" _Yes, I am, and I—and every other woman in the world—knows it!_ " he'd replied, giving her a cheesy, over-the-top grin before shrugging again. " _And really, hunny, what the hell do you care if I didn't come to your wedding? It's not like you_ _ **wanted**_ _me there; you only invited me so our friends didn't ask why you hadn't so you didn't have to justify your decision to exclude me_."

" _Zelos, you used to be a friend_." His heart, which had already been teetering near the lowest rung of the ladder, had fallen even lower as he'd caught her ' _used to be'_ loud and clear. " _ **Of**_ _ **course**_ _I wanted you there! No matter how inexplicably frustrating and accusatory you've been about this whole thing, I_ _ **did**_ _still want you there!_ "

" _No, Sheena, you didn't_ ," he'd stated, no doubt about that in his mind. His mind had kept telling him at that point that he needed to end the conversation using whatever means necessary before he completely lost his cool and regretted what he said or did even more than he already did. It had been time to shift gears and start twisting the knife. " _Besides, it would've been as boring as your new husband is! I gave up on that gigantic list of dos and don'ts you sent me at the third bullet point because I was bored just_ _ **reading**_ _it!_ " He released an exaggerated sigh and rolled his eyes. " _All those stupid, pointless rites and traditions you guys have..._ "

Sheena had blinked at him, her lips parted in shock. " _Wait, is_ _ **that**_ _what this is really about? You didn't come because you thought it would've been_ _ **boring**_ _?!_ "

He'd waggled his eyebrows at her. " _I dunno, I certainly wasn't bored last night...unlike what I'm sure_ _ **you**_ _were with_ _ **your**_ _new boring-as-dirt hubby_." He'd taken a step closer to her, directly into her personal space, just to irk her further, and adopted his most seductive—yet smarmy—voice. " _Are you sure you don't want to send him my way so I can give him some pointers? Heck, if you want to experience some_ _ **real**_ _pleasure, I'd be more than willing to allow you the honor of being my assistant and show you both how it's_ _ **really**_ _done..._ "

And it was at that moment, when he leaned close as if to kiss her, that he could see it happen: she'd given up. She'd shut it all off. She'd moved past the point of fury. He'd gone too far and had sent her over the edge. At that point, she had made her final decision and he was now cut out of her life for good.

_...Just as he'd wanted._

" _You're a disgusting, arrogant, selfish, perverted pig and hopeless bastard, Zelos Wilder_ ," she'd replied, suddenly frighteningly calm and certain, her brown eyes empty...dead. " _I'd been so sure there was some good somewhere in you, but now I know better_."

Zelos had shrugged. " _Maybe, but at least_ _ **I**_ _know how to please a woman in bed!_ "

" _I don't know what I ever..._ " Those word had caught his attention, but he hadn't had a chance to ponder what she might have been about to say when she'd shaken her head and calmly gone on. " _Go shack up with your precious whores. They're obviously more important to you than your friends are. I don't want to see you or talk to you ever again. If I do, or if you ever try to come to Mizuho, you won't walk away from it alive. So do us both a favor, and leave me alone._ _ **For good**_."

" _ **Gladly**_."

Sheena hadn't said anything else after that; she'd just turned and stormed away, never once looking back. He'd slammed the door shut to make his point—he wasn't sure what his point was, but he had to have one...right?—but only a second later the shaking had started, although he'd had no idea if it was from being hung over, from emotion, or from stress. He'd felt sick, and dizzy, and clammy, and hysterical, and on the verge of passing out. He'd stumbled into his bathroom and thrown up the meager remains of his breakfast. And then he'd thrown a fit he didn't care to remember; it had taken Sebastian nearly two weeks to quietly replace the carpet, the drapes, and all the other items in his mansion that he'd wrecked that day.

"Two mornings ago was the first time I'd seen her since then."

It took Zelos a moment to break out of the memory and realize his alternate was watching him, no expression on his face. "And let me guess, that was the first night you finally embraced your reputation and went out in search of a fling," he said quietly.

"...Yeah."

"Did it work?"

Zelos looked up at him, his brows furrowing. "Did what work?"

"The fling," his alternate replied. "Did it make you feel any better?"

"...No. Actually, it made me feel worse." A whole lot worse, in fact.

"And yet you've continued doing that very thing since then? Seeking out women and bringing them back here every night?"

Zelos shook his head. "Not every night." Just those nights when he couldn't bear the gnawing emptiness inside him any longer and desperately needed the distraction. Or when he needed to feel good about himself, like he could accomplish something by properly pleasing a woman, even if that feeling only lasted a few brief, fleeting moments.

"But enough," the other 'him' prompted.

"Yeah." He couldn't—and wouldn't—deny it. And in the blink of an eye, he could feel his defensiveness over his choices reemerge. He motioned at his alternate. "And why not? You obviously have a wife you can have sex with whenever you feel like it. I don't. It feels good, it's an effective distraction, and besides, a man has needs. Not like I've ever had any hunnies complain about it; they just keep lining up for more. I'd be a fool not to take advantage of their generosity."

Yet again, however, his doppelganger just stared at him, shaking his head faintly. "Don't think I don't know what you're doing."

Zelos's eyebrows flew upward. This 'I know everything about you and how you think' crap was getting really annoying. "Oh? And what's that?"

"You're trying to fill the gigantic, gaping hole that was left in your heart when Sheena married Orochi," his alternate replied. "You might have been able to lie to her about that, and to everyone else, too, but you can't lie to yourself, and you can't lie to me."

To his dismay, Zelos didn't—couldn't—respond to that, because the guy was absolutely right, even if he'd never been able to put it in such clear words before. Every single time he'd found a woman to spend a pleasurable night with, it had always worked for awhile, but soon afterwards he'd always felt awful and empty and alone and dirty and...well, he'd hated himself even more than he had before. _That_ was what he'd ended up trading everything of any value and importance in his life for?

...He really was pathetic.

His alternate nodded knowingly. "Does it ever work? Does spending the night with some unnamed woman ever fill that hole for you?"

"...No. But at least sometimes I'm able to forget and let myself feel wanted, at least for a little while." He hated to admit that to anyone, but it was the truth, and it was pretty clear he'd never be able to hide it from this guy anyway. His alternate nodded faintly, his expression somber, clearly upset, and finally Zelos sighed and motioned at him, recognizing what was coming. "All right, fine. Let's have it."

"Have what?" the other 'him' replied, arching an eyebrow.

"The chastisement. The judgment. The declaration of how horribly I messed up and how despicable and worthless I am and that it would've been better if I'd never been born, yadda yadda. I tell myself that all the time, and I can't imagine you aren't itching to tell me what a failure I am, too."

His alternate considered that a moment, watching him closely. "I have to admit, part of me wants to, to smack you over the head for being so stupid and pathetic and for handling the situation so badly and hurting her like you did. But I can't." Zelos's eyes narrowed. Say what? He hadn't expected to hear _that_. "Because the truth is...everything you just told me is almost exactly what I expected really happened. I'd be lying if I said, in your position, I wouldn't have done the same things you did. As awful and gut-wrenching as it is to realize that, I would've." He cleared his throat and leaned forward, his face softening. "Sheena was the love of your life. She certainly is mine. If I'd had to watch her go off and marry another man, one she obviously didn't love, without knowing why she was doing it and without even having had a chance with her...yeah, I hate to say it, but I would've self-destructed like you did, too. And I would've tried to take her with me the same way you did by trying to guilt her into changing her mind and then, when that didn't work, hurting her as much as I could. The only difference is that I never had to do any of that. In my world, I was the lucky one. You...weren't."

And just like that, his hunch had been confirmed. Zelos wasn't sure if that revelation made him feel smug for having guessed right, hopeful that if this guy had stood a chance with her then he might too, or even emptier at the implication that he, too, could've had what this guy obviously did—only now, after everything he'd so thoroughly decimated, that wasn't an option, nor would it ever be again. He motioned at his doppelganger's ring. "So I was right before. That really is her ring."

The other 'him' looked down at the wedding band shining on his left hand. "Yeah, it is."

As he'd feared, that confirmation didn't bring with it the relief or excitement Zelos had hoped at finally having his curiosity appeased; instead it brought with it a sharp jab to the gut that left him feeling breathless with despair. Against all odds, against all logic, in another reality, he had somehow managed to win Sheena Fujibayashi over. And if he'd done it there...could the same have happened here if only he'd done something differently?

Zelos swallowed hard, trying to bite back the nausea welling within him. "How long?"

His alternate eyed him carefully again. "Nearly six years."

Oh, Martel. That was almost exactly how long it had been since this nightmarish separation from Sheena had begun. And they were obviously still married or he wouldn't still be wearing that ring. Zelos didn't want to hear any more...and yet his sense of self-loathing, which was far stronger than his sense of self-preservation, wanted to hear every single detail of their life together. "Any kids?"

"A little girl," the other 'him' replied, a faint smile appearing on his lips. "She's two and a half. And we have another kidlet on the way, although Sheena swears up and down that this one's going to be a boy."

It was impossible. This man was living his dream life. And the worst part was that it wasn't some random stranger who was living it; it was _him_ , just not... _him_. And suddenly, jealously the likes of which Zelos had never felt before reared its ugly head. That was everything— _everything_ —he'd always wanted for himself. And the thing was, he wasn't upset that his alternate had done everything right and had gotten his happily ever after with her; he was upset that _he_ wasn't his _alternate_.

"How did you do it?" he asked. "How did you win her heart?"

His alternate chuckled. "That's the thing: I didn't. I wasn't trying to impress her or steal her heart away. None of that would've had any effect on her even if I _had_ been trying, which is one of the many reasons I love that woman so damn much."

Zelos refused to believe that. "You had to have done _something_ , though, because Sheena's always hated me for one reason or another, which means she had to have hated you, too. And if she gave you that," he pointed at the ring, "then obviously you figured out how to undo all her hate for you."

The other 'him' eyed him carefully. "I wouldn't say 'hate' is the right word for how she felt about me. 'Disappointed' and 'frustrated' are probably more accurate." Zelos still wasn't following that—no, he was pretty sure Sheena had always hated him—and seeing that, his alternate sighed. "Everything changed between us that night at the king's reunification party—which is why I asked you to start there. That was apparently when our timelines split. You said Sheena found you out on that balcony and you two talked briefly before you chased her off with a stupid joke?" Zelos nodded. "Well, in my universe, Sheena didn't leave; she stood her ground until I stopped fighting her. I'm guessing your reason for being out there that night was the same as mine: because your mask was down and you didn't feel comfortable sticking around at the party because of it. Right?"

And again Zelos couldn't help but feel unnerved at having someone, even himself, pointing out his own private motivations like that. "Right...?"

"Well, the same happened with me, and that was the mood I was in when she found me out there," his doppelganger went on. "I don't even know if it was conscious on her part, but she could apparently tell the mask was down and she kept pushing, and pushing, and pushing at all my walls. She was like a bulldozer, determined to see behind them. Eventually I couldn't fight her anymore and my walls just...fell. All of them. I ended up telling her things about my life, about my family, about my choices, about the _real me_ , that I'd never told anyone before that. None of that was done to 'win her heart'; once I got started, I just couldn't stop talking. I guess I wanted to make up to her for all the times I'd acted like the world's biggest ass, and so I decided it was time to start being completely open and honest with her, seeing as by that point I'd no longer had any reason to keep _being_ the world's biggest ass and keep her at arm's length. It was one of the hardest things I've ever done, taking that kind of chance with anyone, let alone with her, but I tell you, it was worth the risk and all the discomfort. I'll never understand why her feelings toward me changed so drastically after that and she decided to give me a second chance, but she did. We started dating soon after that, and a year later we were married."

Oh, Martel. In that alternate world, Sheena had stuck around that night. Zelos's doppelganger hadn't chased her off. He was having trouble wrapping his head around that—and around all the implications that came with it. But one thing he did know was that with every new thing he learned, he felt more nauseous, especially as it became apparent this whole disaster could've been avoided. He wasn't sure he'd ever experienced a nightmare this horrific before—and he'd had some doozies. "So this world...this whole mess is my fault, for continuing to be an ass to her and cracking stupid, perverted jokes that pushed her past the point of giving me that same chance."

His alternate quickly shook his head. "I don't know, and I refuse to say for certain if it's your fault or hers. I cracked some really bad jokes in my world that night, too, that were intended to get her to stop digging and to push her away, and yet she refused to budge. There's no way to know who's to blame here—you for cracking whatever joke pushed her over the edge, or her for not being patient and determined enough to get past your walls and keep digging. There's no reason to beat yourself up over it when it's something that can't be changed at this point anyway."

While he understood that, Zelos wasn't willing to let himself off the hook for it yet, either; after all, generally all bad things that happened around him _were_ ultimately his fault. But he wasn't going to argue that, either, not when there were other things he now _needed_ to know. "Is she happy? Your Sheena?"

"Yeah, she is," the other 'him' replied, giving him a faint smile reminiscent of the one he'd worn when talking about his daughter. "I have no doubt about that."

Unbelievable. Zelos motioned at him. "And you?"

His alternate's smile softened even further. "I am far happier with my life than I ever believed myself deserving of, and I wouldn't trade it for anything in the world."

He swallowed. His mouth was getting very, very dry. He wasn't sure how much more of these revelations he could take...and yet he couldn't stop asking the questions. "What about this world's Sheena? You said she believes you about who you are?"

"Yeah. Verius vouched for me, so she had no choice but to believe it."

"You said Verius was the one who brought you here?" The other 'him' nodded. "Why?"

Oddly, though, his short-haired alternate waved that off in a way that Zelos identified as dismissive and not entirely truthful, seeing as he'd done the same plenty of times himself. "Eh, he was just playing a joke on us both. She needed some help with something, and he thought it would be a riot to bring me here to help her with it. Like I said, I'll be out of your hair in a few days."

Zelos wasn't sure what the truth really was, but he also knew himself well enough to know that prodding wouldn't get him anywhere. And this...this he wanted to know far more than that. "Does she know you guys are married in your world?"

"Yeah," his alternate replied with a slight smirk. "Not surprisingly, she had trouble believing that at first, but she eventually came around."

Sheena knew and accepted that this guy—another version of _him_ —was her husband in an alternate reality. He could only imagine what kind of torment that knowledge had put her through, especially given her opinion of _him_ , _her_ world's Zelos Wilder. And then, of course, there was the little problem of Orochi... "And what does her husband think about you being here?"

For a moment, his alternate just stared at him blankly, as if he'd just stated that the world was made of cheese. When he finally spoke, his voice was barely above a whisper. "You truly don't know, do you?"

Agh, he kept asking that but never gave an answer! Didn't he know how infuriating it was to constantly be kept out of the punch line like this? Although now that Zelos had recounted his miserable tale, his alternate _did_ seem to be answering his questions, so maybe it was worth asking again. "Know _what?_ "

His doppelganger released a low sigh and looked away from him, but then he nodded and gave him a pointed look. "Orochi is dead. He died years ago."

...And there came yet another blow to the gut. Zelos's eyes widened, his jaw dropped, and he was pretty sure his heart stopped. "...What?"

"He was killed a few years ago. They were only married about two months. Sheena's been a widow for years."

Orochi was...dead? He and Sheena had only been married two months? Zelos had pushed Sheena permanently out of his life _for_ _absolutely nothing_ because her marriage had been doomed to suffer a premature end anyway? He...he wasn't sure he could handle this news right now. "I...I had no idea."

His alternate's face hardened. "Of course you didn't, because you made a point of cutting yourself off from everyone and everything you've ever cared about by becoming the world's biggest, most idiotic jerk."

Zelos couldn't accept any of this—his brain simply refused to—and so he did what he had to do to stay sane: he let anger and defensiveness overtake him. "Well, can you really blame me? You obviously loved her enough to marry her; would _you_ have wanted to hear about how wonderful the life of the woman you loved turned out to be without you—or, worse, how miserable she'd become by marrying someone who was completely wrong for her, even though you'd tried to spare her from that? There was no way I could've stood to be around her after that, even if she _hadn't_ threatened to kill me if she ever saw me again, so I did what I had to do."

His alternate tilted his head slightly, conceding that. "Okay, so I admit I would've had trouble being anywhere near her after that, and like I said, I probably would've done the same thing you did, but you had to push your _friends_ away, too? You cut them _all_ out of your life, not just her. I understand why you did what you did to Sheena, but everyone else...that just seems like overkill."

"Lloyd made it clear he didn't want to talk to me again after I skipped her wedding, and I guarantee the rest of them felt the same after they heard what I'd told him," Zelos said. It still killed him how much he'd lost that day, all because he'd lied to cover over his own cowardice, and now he suspected it would kill him all the more, especially knowing that, in another world, _he_ _hadn't had to go through any of it because he'd resorted to honesty rather than piling lies on top of lies_. But hey, he couldn't change that now, either, so what was the point in beating himself up over it even more? "Besides, I didn't want to run into her or the rest of them anywhere, either. At least if I didn't see any of them—"

"—You wouldn't have to hear about her or her life."

Zelos motioned at him. "Bingo."

His alternate shook his head, still eyeing him carefully. "Still, I'm surprised you didn't at _least_ hear about the poisoning in Mizuho, if not from one of the gang, then from the king."

In the blink of an eye, all defensiveness faltered, and Zelos felt lightheaded. "What poisoning in Mizuho?"

"So you really don't know about that, either, huh?" his alternate replied, his eyebrows rising. "Mizuho was poisoned by some creep who hated ninjas. I don't know if they caught the guy here, but we did in my world, and that was what we learned from him before he offed himself. Only a handful of the villagers survived it here, though. Orochi...wasn't one of them."

...And now Zelos _really_ felt faint. "Sweet Martel," he whispered, horrified. "Sheena...is she okay?"

"What do _you_ think?" the other 'him' countered, his face grim. "She survived the attack, but now she's all alone. She's lonely. Most of her people are dead. Mizuho is in shambles. She's not even sure they'll survive the upcoming winter. She wants to rebuild her village, but she can't do it on her own, and most of the remaining villagers aren't in any state to help her do everything that needs to be done in addition to the usual planting and harvesting of crops. There are a few capable villagers left, but not nearly enough. I've been helping her out however I can, but I'm only here a few more days." His voice dropped and his face softened. "Honestly, she's at the end of her rope."

"I...I had no idea," Zelos murmured. _Oh, Martel._ _Sheena._ "I bet no one ever told the king about it, either, because I _know_ I would've heard it from him, if not from Sheena herself. And really, now that I think about it, I do remember him mentioning how all the ninjas had suddenly vanished. He figured they'd finally cut themselves off from society for good." His voice lowered. " _I_ figured Sheena had made that decision because of me, because she never wanted to run into me or hear about me again, considering how much she hated me."

"Well, seeing as Sheena never became chief here to be able to make those kinds of decisions for Mizuho, I'd seriously doubt that," his alternate replied. "Knowing the village as I do, chances are they didn't know who they could trust here—or if the poisoning had been caused by the king, trying to get rid of them all for good—and so they made a point to avoid Meltokio altogether. Tiga has always been distrustful of outsiders, so it makes sense he'd cut the village off from the rest of the world after something as devastating as that."

Zelos blinked once, then twice, then his eyes snapped up to his alternate. Say what? "Wait, Sheena never became chief?"

His alternate shook his head. "Nope. Tiga did. She'd just lost her husband, the man who was supposed to become her chief consort and help her run the place, and she didn't feel qualified to step into the role without him. It didn't help that Igaguri died during the poisoning, too, and that he hadn't finished training her by then." He shrugged. "Speaking from experience, I don't blame her. It was hard enough for the two of us to take on those roles in my world, and we'd had months of training before that; Sheena is an extremely capable woman, but even she would've cracked under the stress of trying to take it all on herself, especially given the circumstances Mizuho found themselves in here."

Chief consort...he still had no idea what that was. Maybe he should ask. "I remember Sheena mentioning a 'chief consort' once. What is that?"

And just like that, all softness vanished from his alternate's face and his eyes became piercing. " _That_ is a question you should've asked her years ago, back when she first announced her engagement, because it's the sole reason why she married Orochi here even though she didn't love him."

...Huh? "What do you mean?"

"The chief consort is the chief's spouse, and it's his or her responsibility to take on half of the chief's duties and help them run Mizuho. It's a requirement of the future chief that they be married before they're allowed to take the role upon themselves. In other words, Sheena had to be married before she could become chief. Igaguri had been pushing her at the time to find a suitable spouse so he could step down and she could become his successor, and so she'd done what she'd had to do."

Oh, Martel. He'd had no idea. "And so Orochi...?"

"...Was the only man in your world who loved her—and Mizuho—enough to step up and offer to take on that role for her." His alternate fixed him with a cold glare. " _That's_ why Sheena married him: not because she loved him, not because she was settling for the first guy who asked her to marry him, but because she had no other viable choices." It took Zelos a moment to realize he was gaping at his alternate stupidly, and even once he did, he couldn't shut his jaw no matter how hard he tried. "In my world, she did have another option, and she took it. Orochi pursued her there, too, and he hated my guts for being involved in her life and being his 'competition' for her hand in marriage, but in the end she chose me." He motioned at Zelos, his face still icy and full of disdain. "But here, instead of realizing the torment she was going through and trying to understand why she'd agreed to marry him, you treated her like crap and tore yourself out of her life completely. And when her village was attacked and she needed a friend the most, someone she could rely on and go to for help and a shoulder to support her when her world came crashing down, you were nowhere to be found, and you made it clear to her you wanted nothing to do with her ever again."

Zelos swallowed hard, stunned and horrified and utterly speechless. All of it, every horrible thing he'd said and done to her...it had all been for nothing. Sheena had been right all along: he hadn't understood a damn thing about what she was going through. He might have been right that she hadn't loved Orochi, but people—especially those in Mizuho—obviously didn't marry solely for love. It had been a duty, a responsibility, an _obligation_ for her to find a spouse, someone qualified to help her run her village, and so she'd accepted the proposal of a 'good man' who she'd known would be 'good' for Mizuho. Part of his brain couldn't help marveling over the fact that he had obviously taken such an important role onto himself in that alternate world, but there was no denying the facts. And as a result, Zelos felt...he felt...

"Y'know, if your goal in coming here was to make me feel even worse about what happened and make me hate myself more than I already did, then congratulations. You did a bang up job of it."

And finally, his alternate's face softened. "No, actually, that wasn't my goal."

Zelos's eyes snapped up to him. "Then what _was_ your goal?"

"Like I said, I needed to find out what really happened between you two. I needed to figure out why you did what you did...and if I would've done the same." His voice dropped a notch. "I needed to figure out if you felt guilty about it and regretted what had happened or if you just shrugged it all off as being 'no big deal' and had moved on happily with your life. Since I can tell that you _do_ feel awful about everything that happened, that means deep down, we really are the same man. We had some very different experiences in our lives that led us to where we are now, but that didn't change who we are. And that means...that means I can trust you."

...Wait, what? Zelos's eyes narrowed. He wasn't sure he liked where this seemed to be going. And he _especially_ didn't like it when someone else said they _trusted_ a worthless, hopeless idiot like him, even if it was an alternate version of _him_ who was doing that trusting. "Trust me to do...what, exactly?"

His doppelganger leaned forward, looking Zelos straight in the eye. "I'm not gonna sugarcoat this: Sheena is miserable. She's lonely, and she's hurting, and she's despairing for the future...she's lost. Even though this Sheena isn't my wife, I know she's what my wife would've become in this situation. And I love that woman far too much to let her go on suffering like this without trying to change that situation for her."

 _Nope. Nope, nope, nope_. "You'd better not be thinking what I think you're thinking."

"Yeah, I probably am. It goes against my better judgment, but I am."

Zelos shook his head. "No. Absolutely not. That woman will never forgive me for what I did for her. And she's right not to. She's completely justified in believing me to be the spawn of Abyssion."

"Maybe. But I still think you should at least try talking to her."

 _Uh uh. Not gonna happen_. "I won't. I _can't_."

"Yes, you can," his alternate stated, way too much certainty in his voice. "I mean, at the very least, you owe her a colossal apology for how you treated her, don't you?"

Well, of course he did, but that was beside the point! Zelos could feel himself beginning to panic at his alternate's proposal. Part of him certainly _wanted_ to talk to her again, to maybe unburden a tiny portion of the overwhelming guilt and regret he'd been carrying within him for years by expressing his deep remorse for his actions, but the other, stronger part dreaded the very thought of it, not to mention the inevitable beating that would accompany it. "Of course I do, but...I really don't think I can do it."

His alternate shook his head. "No matter how hard it might be, I have faith in you. You can do it."

Well, wasn't that ironic? Heaven knew Zelos had never had any faith in _himself_. He motioned at the other 'him.' "C'mon, you know very well how it would go. She'd take one look at me and walk the other way. Well, that or she'd outright kill me like she threatened to do if she ever saw me again. Either way, even assuming I _could_ talk to her, I'd never even get the _chance_ to talk to her!"

"Don't underestimate her or what she's capable of," his alternate replied with surprising calmness.

His eyes widened. How was it that even though this guy was him, he _just didn't get it?_ "I'm _not_ underestimating her or what she's capable of! That's how I know I'd end up in a pile of bloody, severed body parts after she got through with me!"

"That's not what I meant by 'underestimating' her," the other 'him' replied. "That woman is capable of incredible understanding, compassion, and forgiveness. I have a hunch she'd even consider extending it to you, despite everything you did to her, but you'd need to do two things first."

Zelos's eyes narrowed. That...sounded way too good to be true. He couldn't possibly believe it...but he was also curious what two things this guy was talking about. "What?"

"One, like I said, you need to apologize to her with the utmost sincerity."

As difficult as it might be to actually say the words, to admit how badly he'd messed up and that he regretted every single cruel word he'd said to her, he'd have no trouble being sincere, because he _was_ sincerely apologetic about it all. "And two?"

His doppelganger gave him another piercing look. "You need to be _completely open and honest with her_. Not just about what you did to her, but about why you did it, about who you really are, about how you feel about her, _all_ of it." Zelos's mind blanked, balking at the very _thought_ of doing something that devastating and destructive, but his alternate didn't give him a chance to voice his concerns, instead plowing on, "Listen, I'll talk her into coming with me to Meltokio tomorrow morning. I'll take her to that park near the entrance to the sewers and then find an excuse to leave her alone there for a few minutes. It shouldn't be hard to do since I really do have to look into a few things here having to do with Giannovio and Matthew Fenimore. At that point, you can approach her and handle the rest."

No. Not going to work. No way, no how. Not possible. And yet, the thought of seeing her again, of talking to her again, especially knowing now all the things he did... But no, he couldn't think like that. He would be better off just stating the obvious and trying to talk this guy out of his bizarre plan. "This is a really, _really_ bad idea."

But his alternate just shrugged. "Yeah, maybe, but my time here is limited, I don't have any other options, and I have to try _something_ to change the situation for her. I can't see her like this anymore. And honestly, I don't know of anyone else in this world capable of loving that woman as completely as I do...except you, because as much as I hate to admit it, deep down, you're _me_. Whether you deserve it or not, I don't think it's my right to say, but at least I know you _are_ capable of loving her." His voice lowered. "And I know you're capable of turning your life around, becoming a better man, and giving her what she needs, because I was."

This guy was an idiot if he truly thought that was possible. "You might've been capable of that, but I'm only capable of one thing: messing things up. I mean, telling her the truth, about even _one_ of those things...I can't do it."

" _Yes, you can_ ," his alternate repeated, more forcefully that time. "I have no doubt about that. If _I_ could do it, then so can you. I refuse to believe that a few years would've taken that ability away from you."

How was it that this man—another version of _him_ , no less, and therefore someone who should know better—was capable of trusting him like that? Was he really that different? Had being married to Sheena really changed his mental makeup that much and given him that much self-confidence and self-esteem? Well, if that was true, then good for him, but Zelos was unfortunately incapable of sharing in that, seeing as he had yet to see _anything_ even remotely trustworthy in himself. "This'll never work. I'm the last person in the world she ever wants to see again."

"I'd be lying if I said that wasn't possible. I mean, as it is, when she finds out I've plotted to set her up with you and get you two talking to each other again, she's gonna be royally pissed at me. She'll feel like I betrayed her. I'll be lucky if she ever trusts me again. She may be so pissed that she won't even hear what either of us is trying to say to her." He gave Zelos another certain look. "But it's a chance we have to take."

"If you say so," Zelos muttered.

The other 'him' frowned. "Don't try to worm your way out of this by telling me you don't want to see her again or want a second chance with her. I saw the way you looked at her two days ago; that was the face of a man who never got over her."

Damn, so he _had_ given himself away that morning, hadn't he? And naturally _he,_ of all people, would notice and recognize it for what it was. "Of course I want to see her again. There are a lot of things I need to say to her, even if I have no clue how to actually _say_ any of them yet. I'm just a little more realistic about how this is going to play out than you apparently are."

"Just try, okay? You'll never get anywhere, be it with her or with _anyone_ , unless you at least _try_ to be honest with someone other than yourself. Whatever we do, though, we'll only have one shot at this, which means we've gotta play it right the first time. Figure out what you want to say to her, work up the courage to tell her the truth about your feelings for her and why you did everything you did, and be ready to say it tomorrow, or you'll likely never get another chance."

"...Right." This was the dumbest idea in the world. Seriously.

If his alternate recognized his disbelief, he didn't comment on it and instead just arched an eyebrow. "So if I bring her here tomorrow morning, say around ten, you'll meet with her?"

For a long moment Zelos just sat silently, mulling that over. He still suspected only one thing could come from this—a total and complete train wreck—and yet...he had to admit, after everything he had learned about Sheena and what had happened to her, and about what they obviously had together in that alternate world, it was making the thought of seeing her again very, very appealing. If he could ever convince her to forgive him, and if he could change to become a better man, could they actually have a shot at a future together? His alternate, while not coming right out and saying that, did seem to think they might at least be able to salvage their decimated friendship.

And he really would like to be back in her life again and have her back in his. It might take her the rest of her life to extend him even an iota of trust, but the truth was these past few years, being cut off from her, had been miserable for him, too. He'd missed her dearly. He'd always tried to forget about her, and sometimes he'd managed to for a few minutes, but he'd never been able to, not really. He still saw her in his dreams at night, still wished, whenever he was with another woman, that everything had happened differently and that woman had been her. He would give it all up in a heartbeat—the hunnies, the flirting, the fake endearments, the casual sex, all of it and then some more—if he could have even a taste of what this alternate version of him had. And while he didn't really believe this had any chance of working, because he didn't trust himself to tell her everything he apparently needed to, this, what he was feeling at that moment, was still far more hope than he'd had in years—hope that his life could change for the better and he could stop feeling so damn _empty_ and _alone_ all the time. It was an incredibly appealing, powerful thought.

And so, against his own better judgment, against all common sense, against all instinct for self-preservation, Zelos found himself saying, "All right, fine. I'll do it."

His alternate nodded curtly. "Good. Then I'd better get back to Mizuho before she starts getting suspicious and I lose _all_ of her trust and can't get her here tomorrow." He pointed sharply at Zelos. "Just remember, _be honest with her_. Drop the Chosen One act; you don't need it with her, and she hates it and it'll wreck everything we're trying to accomplish anyway. Avoid any obnoxious nicknames. And by all means, _definitely_ don't call her 'hunny' because nothing will turn her away faster than that." He arched an expectant eyebrow. "Got it?"

"Yeah, got it," Zelos replied softly.

The other 'him' rose to his feet, giving him one last pointed look. "Don't make me regret trusting you with this, okay?"

"...Right."

"Then I'll see you tomorrow morning." And with that, he showed himself out of the mansion, leaving Zelos alone to ponder everything that had just happened and everything he'd just learned, and choosing to be optimistic and ignore the nagging feeling in his gut that things were going to get far worse before anything good could possibly come of this.

0~*~0


	6. Day 4: The Setup

**Day 4: The Setup**

Sheena had no idea what she was doing here, waiting in a Meltokio park for the Zelos from the mirror universe to return. She had no idea what _he_ was doing here. Ever since he'd returned to Mizuho the previous morning after vanishing to 'take care of business' here, he'd been acting strangely, almost _distracted_ —and not just because she'd tried to kiss him, because he didn't seem at all _uncomfortable_ around her. He still hadn't explained what he'd been doing here, although she expected it was connected to why they were here now. Seeing as she'd heard him muttering something about Minister Giannovio and someone named Matthew Fenimore earlier, it likely had to do with them. Amidst doing some more work in Mizuho, tending to crops, and taking care of a few smaller projects, he'd been asking her questions about the two, and while she'd never even heard of Matthew Fenimore before, she _had_ answered a few of his questions about Minister Giannovio—not that she'd known much since, before two days ago, she hadn't returned to Meltokio in years.

Strangely, he'd also been asking a surprising number of questions about the Sylvaranti people, wondering if they'd been hit by any illnesses recently. She'd only been vaguely aware of any such reports, based on conversations with Lloyd and Colette; a number of people had fallen unexpectedly sick and had required Tethe'allan medication and treatment to address it. At the time, everyone had assumed it was because the two worlds had been separated for so long that different diseases had evolved in each, ones the other world had never developed any immunity against. Sheena had told him what she could, but Zelos hadn't said much about it beyond that, and honestly, after that attempted kiss, she hadn't felt comfortable pushing him for anything. She still felt guilty about that, after all, and it was taking time for her to act more naturally around him again, especially with her emotions still reacting to him in a roller-coaster myriad of confusing ways.

This morning, though, she'd been surprised when he'd casually suggested she come with him to Meltokio to look into something—or maybe he'd just asked her to keep him company...that whole conversation had been kind of confusing, really. He hadn't explained more than that, other than to say he'd tell her more afterwards. It still amazed her that she'd agreed, especially after running into the other _him_ here that last time, but she couldn't deny how nice it was to get out of Mizuho and take a walk with him. Upon reaching the town, though, for some reason he'd taken her to this park and had asked her to wait here, saying he'd be back soon. She was still there now, waiting and wondering why she'd agreed to this. She hadn't figured it out yet, but he had asked her so sweetly that she hadn't had the heart to deny him.

And so there she was, sitting on a park bench, wondering what he was scheming. At least it was a lovely morning, warm but not too hot and with a cloudless sky overhead. Closing her eyes, she leaned back on the bench, absorbing the sun's heat, the only sound being the wind rustling the leaves of nearby trees.

...Or at least the only sound _had_ been the wind rustling the leaves until, without warning, another sound broke the silence: approaching footsteps. She kept her eyes closed but her mind went on the alert, listening as the person hovered off to her side for a bit before finally stepping closer. Sheena cracked her eyes open...and immediately regretted it. From the corner of her eye, before the interloper could so much as open his mouth, she could tell who it was—because who else created the distinct color combination of red, white, black, and _pink?_ Instinctively, she tensed, her body recoiling at the intrusion—and from _him_ , of all people. Damn it, she should've known this would happen if she came here again. Her previously decent, relaxed mood quickly vanished, anger and grumpiness replacing it.

And then, naturally, the loudmouth had to make matters worse by _talking._ "Well, well! Fancy running into _you_ here," he drawled. Sheena frowned and turned her head away, already dreading this. Wonderful. When was the other Zelos coming back? "Great weather today, eh?"

"Go away," Sheena grumbled.

But Zelos, true to form, just kept plowing on as if he hadn't heard her. "Couldn't ask for a nicer day than this."

Sheena kept her head turned away, still refusing to look at him, her body tense, her lips pursed, her entire body on the defensive. Grr...how had he found her here in such a remote location? Her anger was already beginning to blaze—naturally he would dismiss her demand that he leave as being 'not worth his time or effort'—but her voice when she spoke was icy. "No, really, Zelos, _go away_."

...But still he refused to listen. "So, Sheena, how are you doing?"

She growled and shook her head. He really wasn't going to leave, was he? Figured. Well, fine, then. She would just have to answer his question as curtly as she could and hope he got the hint that _she_ _really didn't want to talk to him_ and that _he should_ _just_ _leave already._ "Fine."

From the corner of her eye, she could see him look at her. "What, that's all I get? It's been years since we last talked."

"There's a reason for that."

He sighed, and she saw him motion at her. "C'mon, I can see you're still mad at me, but you have to admit, you've missed me, haven't you?"

Agh, why couldn't the man just _leave her alone?_ Did he really think after all this time that she suddenly wanted to _talk_ to him again? He really was a deluded, arrogant buffoon. She looked sharply at him. "Missed smacking you and yelling at you and being frustrated and furious at you and your arrogance and idiocy all the time? No, Zelos, I really haven't. Not even a little."

To her surprise, his plastic, over-the-top smile faltered a bit. He actually seemed _deflated_ by that. But Sheena refused to consider that too deeply—because it was _Zelos Wilder_ she was talking about, after all, and _nothing_ phased that man, ever. Instead, she quickly looked away from him again. "Well, then I've missed you," he said, his voice unusually quiet. That changed, though, as he cleared his throat and went on, more normally for him, "Your voluptuous beauty, too."

Sheena rolled her eyes, her lips pursing again. His voice might be softer than usual, but she was still getting fed up with this because, damn it, _she didn't want to talk to him_. "What are you doing here, Zelos?"

He shot her a look as if he thought she might be crazy. "This is Meltokio. I live here. What are _you_ doing here?"

"I'm waiting for someone."

He motioned at the empty spot on the bench beside her, and even she, through her anger and frustration and need to _get away from him_ , could hear the hopefulness in his voice as he asked, "Then...mind if I have a seat? At least until your mysterious friend reappears?"

Of course he'd want to sit down beside her. Probably wanted to grope her and tease her and ridicule her and question all of her life choices again, too. She rose to her feet and waved at the bench. "Go ahead. I was just thinking it was time for me to leave anyway."

She began walking around him—she'd wait for the alternate Zelos somewhere, _anywhere_ , else—but before she could get past him, he stepped closer and gently grabbed her arm to stop her. "Sheena, wait."

" _Don't. Touch. Me_ ," she spat at him, yanking her arm out of his grasp, then continued walking around him.

Zelos released a low sigh. "I'm sorry to hear about Orochi."

...She froze. What had he just said? Two days ago he hadn't had a clue what had happened to Orochi, even going so far as to accuse the other Zelos of being him, and now...now he suddenly knew the truth? She turned sharply back toward him, her eyes narrowed and her voice low, soft, and dangerous. "How did you know that?"

He shrugged, his expression impassive. "Does it matter?"

She took a step closer to him, the itch to strangle him quickly returning. " _How did you know that_?"

"What, can't a guy hear news about an old friend?" he asked, feigned ignorance on his face.

"Not when it's you we're talking about." She stopped when she was standing directly in front of him, trying to see if his eyes gave anything away. And then a horrible thought struck her. "Did...did _he_ tell you?" Zelos didn't immediately reply, but his eyes briefly dropped before returning to hers, adding weight to her growing suspicion. And then an even more horrible thought suddenly struck her. The short-haired Zelos had vanished for quite awhile the previous morning...it couldn't be, could it? Her eyes widened, fury quickly overtaking all sense of reason. " _Did he set you up to this?!_ "

But Zelos just blinked at her innocently. "He who?"

Sheena jabbed a finger into his chest. "Don't play dumb with me, Zelos Wilder, you know _damn well_ who I'm talking about!"

And again his eyes darted away from her as he gave her a faint, awkward smile. "Oh...you mean the _other_ me, right?"

...That was exactly what she'd thought. She couldn't believe it. She felt sick, and betrayed, and very, very angry. "I am going to _kill_ that man! That's what he was really doing here yesterday morning, wasn't he? Talking to _you_?"

Zelos tilted his head a little. "Maybe...for a little while..."

"He is _dead_!" she shouted, turning away from him and throwing her hands up in the air. Once she got her hands on that idiot, she would tear him apart, piece by piece.

"Heh," Zelos chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck. "Well, at least it's not _me_ you're after for a change..."

Sheena spun sharply around and pointed at him. "Just wait. Once I've gotten my hands on him, you're next."

His face fell a little. "...Right."

And suddenly she needed to know this, desperately, because if the alternate Zelos had talked to this one about Orochi, about _her,_ then she...she had no idea what else he might have said. Jizou knew how much ammunition she had given him against her these past few days. "What did he tell you?"

Zelos looked back at her blankly. "I don't—"

Uh uh. There was _no way_ she would let him play that ignorance card any longer. " _What did that bastard tell you?!"_

He tilted his head a little, conceding. "...Enough."

She felt shaky from her growing rage, embarrassment, and panic. "He is _so_ dead."

Zelos rubbed the back of his neck again. "He, ah, kinda seemed to think we should talk. Y'know, catch up and discuss a few things."

Sheena couldn't believe she'd ever begun to _trust_ that man...she couldn't believe she'd ever begun to have _feelings_ for a man who would betray her and her confidence this horribly. "Oh, he _did_ , did he? Like I would _ever_ want to talk to _you_ again, _and he knows that_!"

"I guess I'd hoped things might have changed, especially with him being here like this."

"Well, they haven't," she countered, folding her arms to her chest. "I didn't want to talk to you six years ago, and I still don't want to talk to you now."

A single red eyebrow rose. "And his being here didn't change any of that? Not even a little?"

If she was being honest with herself, that thought actually had crossed her mind once a few days ago, when Tiga had asked her why she hated Zelos so much when the alternate Zelos was such a good, kind, helpful man. But all of that had changed now that she knew _that version of Zelos had gone behind her back and talked to the one man she had never wanted to see again_. And, worse, he'd set it up so she'd _have_ to see him again! "After what he just did, that man is now dead to me. He obviously doesn't know a damn thing about me!"

The eyebrow rose even further. "...Even though he apparently married you in an alternate universe?"

Oh, _shit._ He'd told this guy about _that,_ too?! How _could_ he?! She turned murderous eyes toward his and pointed at him again warningly. "Say another word about that, Wilder, crack even _a single joke_ about that, and I'll tear you apart with my bare hands. Now where is he? If you know, you'd better tell me!"

He shook his head. "I don't know where he went. Honest. All he said was that he had to look into something with Giannovio and he'd be back in a few minutes."

"Yet another lie," she muttered under her breath, folding her arms to her chest again. "I should've expected nothing less from either of you."

Zelos lowered the hand from his neck and mimicked her stance. He looked away for a moment, then cleared his throat and looked back at her. "Yeah...about that. I really am sorry to hear about Orochi."

Her eyes snapped back to his. Here he was, the man who had told her time and again how stupid her decision to marry Orochi had been, and now he thought a simple expression of condolence, _years after Orochi had died_ , would magically erase every cruel thing he'd said and done to her? Yeah, _right._ He really was an idiot if he thought _that_ would ever work with her. "What the hell do _you_ care? Need I remind you that you minced no words when you made it clear what you _really_ thought about my marriage to him?"

His voice grew even softer and his eyes fell from hers in a way that she _thought_ might be guilt but that made no sense considering Zelos Wilder was an unrepentant, calloused, cruel bastard, and so she refused to acknowledge it as such. "Of course I care. I never wanted to see you hurt like that."

She rolled her eyes. This coming from the man who had proven countless times just how much he _loved_ to hurt her. "You'll forgive me if I don't believe that."

"I deserve that," he murmured to himself. "And I...I'm sorry about all of those things I said about you and Orochi, too."

Wait, had she just heard him right? Was he actually _apologizing_ for that? The suddenness of the words—not to mention how somber and downcast his face was as he'd spoken them—caught her off guard...but she quickly shook that off. An apology from him now meant nothing to her. This bastard had made it clear how much he hated Orochi, and so, knowing the womanizer that he was, she could only assume he was trying to get back in her good graces now that he knew she was single again so he could resume his quest to turn her into another one of his many female conquests. She glared at him. "That's too little, too late, Wilder. Go ahead and say whatever you want, but you're as dead to me as your alternate now is."

"...I knew this would never work," he mumbled, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly.

"Oh, don't tell me you've _already_ pissed her off! I thought I told you not to provoke her!"

Oh, good. The man Sheena _really_ wanted to kill right now had finally returned. She whirled toward him and pointed at him sharply. " _You!_ "

"It doesn't take much," the long-haired Zelos said. "And I distinctly remember pointing out how awful this whole idea was."

"What in _Jizou's_ name were you thinking involving _him_ in this?!" Sheena demanded, ignoring the long-haired Zelos and focusing her anger on the short-haired version. It was really, _really_ bizarre—not to mention aggravating—to be talking to two Zelos Wilders at the same time. At least the length of their hair length made it easy to distinguish between them.

He sighed and lifted his hands in a way that clearly said, 'Calm down.' "I was only trying to help, Sheena. I mean, that _is_ what I'm here for, isn't it?"

Her face grew warm at that reminder, but she shook it off, instead latching back onto her anger. "This isn't _helping_ , Zelos. This is the worst kind of betrayal! How _could_ you?! I _trusted_ you with things I've never told anyone before, and you went and told _him_ everything!"

Zelos's eyes snapped to his long-haired alternate accusingly. "So you sold me out, eh? That didn't take long."

The other Zelos lifted his hands. " _You_ told me to be honest with her!"

"I knew this wouldn't end well," the short-haired version muttered with a sigh.

Sheena stepped closer to him and poked him in the chest. "What did you tell him, Zelos? All of it?"

"No, Sheena, I didn't tell him all of it," he replied, his voice still as calm and unconcerned as ever. "Anything I knew you really wouldn't want me to tell him, I didn't tell him. I promise. I just filled him in on certain details he's been missing ever since he cut you out of his life."

"Like the fact that Orochi died," she clarified.

"Like the fact that Orochi died, and that Mizuho was poisoned." He gave her a pointed look. "I did what I had to do."

Naturally he saw _nothing wrong_ in going behind her back and dragging someone _she wanted nothing to do with ever again_ into this _._ And it figured that he would side with _himself_ over _her._ After seeing the anger he'd displayed toward his alternate a few days ago, though, she'd truly believed—she'd _trusted_ —that _he_ had wanted nothing to do with his alternate, either, and that he would therefore make a point to avoid him while he was here. "I fail to see how it was absolutely necessary to drag _him_ into this to ' _help'_ me."

"It _was_ , Sheena, and I'm not gonna apologize for it," he countered. "I just don't have any other options in the extremely limited time I have left here, so I went to the one person I hoped would be able to lend a hand." Sheena continued glaring at him, still feeling utterly furious and hurt and betrayed, and he sighed and lightly touched her arm...and heaven help her, she couldn't shake his hand off as she saw the pleading look on his face. "Sheena, I'm here to help you. And one of the many things you obviously still don't know about me is how much it _kills_ me to see you upset and hurting."

Agh, she hated when he resorted to being all sweet and sincere and caring like that because apparently she had a weakness for it. Still, though, she summoned every last ounce of rage she had within her to point angrily at his long-haired alternate. "But _him_?!"

"Yes, _him._ _Me._ Like it or not, he's already involved in this simply because _I_ am. Fixing broken mirrors, which is basically what this is, is a messy, tricky, complicated business, and if you leave out giant, integral pieces of it, you'll never be able to put it back into a form even remotely resembling what it's supposed to look like."

...Was he implying what she _thought_ he was implying?! Her face grew bright red as a wave of embarrassment swept through her. "I never said I wanted the mirror fixed! Maybe I just want a new mirror altogether!"

"And I'm not dismissing that possibility. I just thought it would be helpful if you two would sit down and talk about what happened."

...This man was just as stubborn and impossible as her world's Zelos was, wasn't he? "Only nothing has changed, Zelos! He's still the exact same jerk and bastard he was all those years ago, the one I never want to have anything to do with ever again!"

The short-haired Zelos sighed again, his face still soft. "Sheena, I talked to him, okay? Before I told him _anything_ about you or what you've been through the past few years, I heard his side of the story so I knew what kind of guy he really was. And you know what I found? I understand why he did what he did. In fact, I'd be lying if I didn't say, in the same situation, I would've done _the_ _exact same things he did_."

...What had he just said? Sheena gaped at him, stunned and horrified. No, she couldn't have heard him correctly. If she _had_ heard him correctly, then that meant...that meant...she couldn't even think about that. "You...you would've?" she whispered.

To her dismay, though, he nodded curtly. "Yeah, I would've."

"You would've acted like the world's biggest ass to me?"

"Yep."

"You would've skipped my wedding?"

"Yep."

_Oh, Jizou_. Her stomach was twisting in knots; she didn't want to be hearing _any_ of this about a man she'd been growing so _attached_ to the past few days. "You would've skipped my wedding so you could go fool around with one of your tramps?"

Thankfully, that time he shook his head. Oh, good; Sheena didn't want to think she'd been _that_ wrong about him. "No. I would've done what this guy _actually_ did."

...Huh? Her eyes narrowed. "What do you mean?"

His eyes snapped to the other Zelos and he arched an eyebrow expectantly. "How 'bout you be the one to tell her? I mean, you're the one who actually did it to her because, thank Jizou, I never had to."

Sheena blinked at him a few times, then turned to the long-haired Zelos, her curiosity rising, especially as she noted his cheeks were tinted pink. "What is he talking about? Do what?" 'Her' Zelos looked at her a moment, but instead of answering, he frowned and turned away from them, folding his arms to his chest. " _Do what_?" she repeated.

" _Tell her_ ," the short-haired Zelos insisted.

He was silent another moment, but finally he sighed and turned back to her. "All right, fine. I didn't forget about your wedding that day, Sheena. Like I could possibly forget about that. And I did go to Mizuho for it."

"You...did?" she asked, her face wrinkling in confusion.

He nodded. "Yeah, I did. But when I saw you there, all dressed up in that beautiful, fancy wedding kimono, looking absolutely radiant, I...I couldn't go through with it. So I left. I went back to Meltokio. None of you knew I'd been there."

Sheena blinked at him, her anger temporarily subsiding in lieu of her curiosity over this unexpected revelation. This went against everything she'd believed for years. But then she remembered how absolutely _furious_ she'd been at him after she'd talked to him the next day, and at his uncaring, downright _nasty_ attitude toward her, and her anger quickly returned. "What, and on your way home you found one of your hunnies to drag back to your mansion with you?"

Zelos didn't immediately respond, just looked away from her again, and his alternate frowned and motioned at her again. " _Tell_ _her_!"

He growled but thankfully did as instructed. "No, _then_ I went back to my mansion, grabbed a few bottles of the strongest stuff I had, and got completely wasted. I never saw a single hunny that day."

"...What?" Sheena said, her voice falling to a whisper and her lips parting in shock, her anger escaping her again. Not only _had_ he actually come to Mizuho that day, but he hadn't even seen his hunnies? He'd just gotten himself drunk? "You did?"

"Yeah, I did."

"And that is _exactly_ what I would've done in his position," the short-haired Zelos said.

The problem was, Sheena was now even _more_ confused than she had been before. "I don't understand. Why would you do that?"

Again 'her' Zelos hesitated, and again his alternate motioned at him. "Don't make me be the one to tell her. She needs to hear this from you."

Zelos considered that another moment, but finally he sighed and looked back at her, none of the typical smirk on his lips and his blue eyes wary, sunken... _guarded_ , she thought. "Because I couldn't stand to see you marry a man you didn't love. If I knew for fact that you loved Orochi, I could've dealt with it and been happy for you. But I saw your face that day, Sheena. You weren't excited about the wedding. In fact, you looked _nauseous_ , like you were _dreading_ it. I could see it in your eyes every time you said his name: you _liked_ Orochi but didn't _love_ him. I don't know why no one else noticed and pointed that out to you, if they thought you were just nervous or something, but _I_ sure did, and I couldn't stay there and watch you do that to yourself."

For a moment Sheena could only gape at him, trying to figure that out, but _it_ _still didn't make sense._ She felt like she was missing a gigantic piece of the puzzle that explained everything. "But why? Why the hell did you even care whether or not I loved him? If I chose to marry him, that was _my_ choice to make, not yours, and the least you could've done was respected and supported my decision! Everyone else did; why couldn't you?!"

And suddenly, an unusual fire flared in his eyes as he stepped closer to her, one she'd only seen from him once or twice before. "Because I _did_ care, Sheena! I have this thing against condoning weddings where one or both parties don't love the person they're marrying!"

Sheena shook her head. Damn it, _he_ _still wasn't making any sense_. "Like I've told you a hundred times, my reasons for marrying Orochi were _my own reasons_. Even discounting that, though, I know how Meltokio works, Zelos. People here are doing that all the time for any number of reasons—money, power, position, family obligation, _whatever_. I somehow doubt you refuse to attend _their_ weddings and instead ran off to get plastered! How was _this_ any different?"

"Because it _was_! It was _extremely_ different, Sheena!"

"Well, I'm sorry, but I'm still not seeing how!"

"Because I was never _in love with the bride_ at any of those weddings!"

Instantly, they both froze, both sets of eyes wide as they realized what he'd just said. But the silence was quickly broken by the alternate Zelos, who pumped his fist in the air in victory. " _Yes! Finally!_ It was _about damn time_ you just came out and said it!"

"Shut up!" both Sheena and Zelos said to him in sync.

Sheena quickly turned back to Zelos, her heart pounding furiously, her mind struggling to comprehend what he'd just said, her voice a mere whisper. "Say that again."

Zelos folded his arms to his chest and turned away from her. "No. I think you heard me fine the first time."

Agh, why did this man always have to be so damned _difficult_?! " _Zelos_..."

He growled lowly but did turn back toward her. "Fine, I wasn't in love with any of them!"

And once again Sheena found herself speechless. She knew what her ears told her he'd just said, but...was he serious? Was it possible? It couldn't be...or _could_ it? She had to know. "...Like you were with me?" she ventured.

His eyebrows rose, but his face was redder than it had been a minute ago. "That's what you want to hear, right?"

"Only if it's true." Her eyes narrowed as she looked him over closely. "... _Is_ it true?"

For a long moment he was silent, his eyes squeezed shut as if he was fighting an internal battle with himself. After a moment, though, he took a deep breath, opened his eyes, and nodded, so faintly that she barely caught it. "Yes, it's true," he said, his voice soft.

Sheena had no idea what she was supposed to say. She had no idea what she was supposed to _think._ This bombshell had completely blown her mind. "That's...that's impossible," she whispered. "He told you to say that to me, didn't he?"

Zelos tilted his head. "Well, yes...no...he said I needed to tell you, but that doesn't mean it isn't true."

The short-haired Zelos shrugged as her eyes darted at him. "Hey, like I've said before, even if you didn't catch all the implications at the time, I was madly in love with you long before we started dating in my world, even if I didn't recognize it for what it was until that night at the king's party. That means this guy was in love with you back then, too. So yeah, I can vouch for him. And there isn't a chance in hell I could've watched the woman I loved walk off and marry a man I knew she would be miserable with for the rest of her life without self-destructing and resorting to alcohol to try to get through it... _just like he did_."

"I wanted you to be happy, Sheena," 'her' Zelos said. "I didn't care with who, whether it was me or someone else completely; I just wanted to make sure whoever you married _did_ give you the happiness you deserved. But Orochi didn't. I could tell. That's why I acted like I did...and for that, for all the stupid things I said back then to try to get you to change your mind, I'm truly sorry. I know you can't forgive me, and that's fine because I certainly don't forgive myself, nor do I deserve it, but you do need to know that, that every day since then I've regretted how horribly I treated you."

To Sheena's utter amazement, this, finally, was the missing piece she'd needed to be able to make sense of everything that had happened with him: why he'd reacted as irrationally and out-of-character as he had, starting from the moment he'd learned she was engaged to Orochi. This was...it was too much to comprehend right now. Everything she'd thought she knew now needed to be reconsidered in light of this new information. She needed to take a step back and think about this...but she couldn't do it right then, not with two different Zelos Wilders standing in front of her, making everything far more complicated and confusing than it already was.

And to that end, all she could mumble in response was a low, "I...I had no idea..."

"Sheena, remember what you said when I first showed up here?" the alternate Zelos said, his voice gentle. "You admitted that you didn't know me or anything about me, right? Well, the same holds true for this guy. You don't know this man. And if you need proof of how little you really do know about him, then look at me, at who I am. Ultimately we're far more alike than we are different. Our lives just took very different paths after the worlds were reunited. Mine had you as a major part of it. His did not. What you've seen in us both is the difference _you_ have made in our lives."

And again she found herself unable to respond, unable to figure out what she was thinking or how she should feel about this, lost as she was in shock. She turned her eyes to the long-haired Zelos, who was fidgeting but was unable to look directly at her, his face still red and somber. He was, wasn't he? He was actually _blushing._ He truly was uncomfortable with this. She thought she might even be seeing guilt and embarrassment in his eyes, too. _He had been in love with her back then._ Oh, Jizou. If that was really true, then it explained so much. It didn't excuse him, not by a long shot, but it explained it. And suddenly she wanted him to talk to her, to explain even more of the things that she still didn't understand, so she could find out what _else_ about him she'd always had wrong.

"So it really wasn't true, that excuse you gave me about why you skipped my wedding," she stated softly.

He shook his head. "No, it wasn't."

Her eyes narrowed. "And yet you let Lloyd and me and everyone else believe you had hopped into bed with one of your hunnies at the time?"

"Yeah."

Agh, the man was so, so _...frustrating_! _"Why_?!"

He looked up at her, clearly roused from his somberness by the incredulous anger she couldn't conceal anymore. "Well, it wasn't like that was the first time I'd ever let you guys believe something about me that wasn't true! And to be honest, having you hate me and never want to speak to me again was a hell of a lot easier to handle than the alternative!"

Sheena swallowed hard, her mouth suddenly very dry. She wasn't sure what to say to that; she wasn't sure how to handle this entire situation. Was that an admission that he'd been emotionally tormented at the time because she'd been marrying another man? What else was she missing? "What else have you let us believe about you that 'wasn't true'?"

Zelos looked at her briefly but couldn't hold her gaze long, and instead his eyes fell downward again. Clearly he was still unwilling—or maybe just unable?—to answer that. And just like that, the truth hit her. _All this time,_ _she had been wrong about him, about his motivations, about his actions...about all of it._

"So he's right after all," she whispered, blinking at him, stunned. "I really don't know anything about you, do I?"

Zelos didn't respond to that—he just glanced at her again through guarded eyes—and finally his alternate stepped forward, draping one arm around his long-haired counterpart's neck and the other around Sheena's. "Look, I know you both way too well. Sheena, you need time to wrap your head around this, and this guy here needs time to figure out where he wants to go from here and plan his next move. So why don't we call it a day, let you both think this over for awhile, and then tomorrow night you could, I dunno, maybe go out to dinner and talk all of this over?"

Sheena blinked a few times, then looked at him blankly. "Are you saying you want us to go out on a _date_?"

He shrugged. "If that's what you want to call it, go for it. Or maybe you'd rather call it an opportunity for two old friends who haven't seen each other in years to catch up and get reacquainted. Whatever terminology you're most comfortable with. The important thing is that you give yourselves time to think all of this over and then sit down and _talk_ about it."

She fell silent again, considering that. She definitely wasn't comfortable with the thought of going out on a _date_ with Zelos, and a gigantic part of her still wanted absolutely nothing to do with him. She could feel it: there was still an incredible amount of anger welling within her over everything that had happened, and his confession just now didn't change the fact that he'd been the world's biggest jackass to her and had hurt her, badly. On the other hand, though, if he truly had _loved_ her back then, a thought that she would've once vehemently denied but that now she realized she _couldn't_ deny thanks to his alternate and the fact that _he had married her in his world_ , then so many things made more sense. It reemphasized the fact that she really didn't know anything about him...and it told her how much she _wanted_ to know more about him. There was truth within him waiting to be found, and she was suddenly itching to dig at him, to poke at his walls, get beneath the surface, and see what else she could find there that she'd never known about him before. As she'd had to reluctantly admit the past few days, she had obviously found something she liked—no, more than that, _loved_ —about Zelos Wilder in that alternate timeline if she'd married him, and now that she finally knew he wasn't the _complete_ jerk he'd always acted like to her, was it possible she could find whatever it was again here, with this Zelos?

The long-haired Zelos looked away from them both, still no smile or eagerness on his face. "I'm not sure this is a good idea..."

"Maybe it is, maybe it isn't," the other Zelos said. "I'm fully aware of the fact that if you two agree to this, it could turn out to be a complete disaster. But you'll never know unless you try it and see what happens, right? And can you really tell me you don't want to spend some time with her again?"

"...No," Zelos slowly conceded.

Sheena couldn't believe she was actually entertaining this thought, something that until just now had seemed impossible...something she would've dismissed in an instant if he'd suggested it a few hours ago. But damn it, if 'her' Zelos really was more like his short-haired alternate than she'd thought him to be, then she was. "Just once?" she clarified.

The alternate Zelos nodded. "Just once."

She was seriously considering this, going out with _Zelos Wilder_. She had to have lost her mind. But, she quickly reminded herself, it wasn't really a _date;_ they were going out to _talk,_ so she could find out more about who he was, the man he'd hidden from her for years, to see if he was anything like the Zelos she had married in that alternate universe...a man she was, against all odds, actually _happy_ with.

Before she could voice anything one way or the other, though, the alternate Zelos gave his long-haired counterpart a pointed look. "If you two decide to do this, though, you have to be _completely honest_ with her. I know how hard it'll be—believe me, I know—but if you want this to go _anywhere,_ if you want her to believe you and let you back into her life in any form, then you _have_ to do it. Tell her the truth, about all of it. I can't stress that enough."

"I know," Zelos murmured.

The short-haired Zelos nodded and then turned to Sheena. "And _you_...you need to be _patient_ with him. To this day you are still the least patient person I know, but if you're really going through with this, then you have to find the patience to bear with him. Letting down walls as tall and thick as his is damn hard, and it may take him time to figure out how to do that. Just keep in mind that if my Sheena hadn't been so patient with me that night at the king's party, no matter how hard I'd tried to push her away, I wouldn't be here right now."

Sheena felt her cheeks grow warm again, and she could see 'her' Zelos's eyes narrow slightly, clearly not following what his alternate meant. But she ignored it, once again considering what he was suggesting. Even she knew she had problems with patience and her temper; she had spent years working on it, but she wasn't sure she was as far along with correcting them as she wanted. But for this, she would try. She couldn't believe this, but she was actually going to say the words, and if she was lucky, then she would be able to find what she needed within herself to do what he was asking of her. "Fine. _One_ date."

The alternate Zelos smiled faintly. "Thank you, Sheena." He gave his counterpart an expectant look. "And you? That okay with you?"

Zelos sighed and nodded, but his voice when he said, "Yeah, one date," was still surprisingly subdued, in a way Sheena had never heard from him before. It was the last thing she expected from him, actually. She had expected smirking and teasing that she had _finally_ succumbed to his charms and his pleas that she go out with him; she _hadn't_ expected him to look like he was seriously considering saying 'no' and running away from them both.

But his alternate didn't pay that hesitancy any heed. "Okay then. One date—or whatever you want to call it—it is. Tomorrow night, seven o'clock. Sheena and I will meet you at the mansion, and you two can go out somewhere nice, talk, and get reacquainted."

"And what about you?" Zelos said.

He waved that off. "Eh, I could use a night to myself in the mansion to do some research into a few other things. Or I'll have a little chat with Sebastian. Or maybe both. I'll be fine."

"Just keep in mind that if he proves you wrong about him, I _will_ still kill you for this," Sheena said. She wasn't sure she really meant that, but this entire situation felt so crazy that she had to try to regain _some_ semblance of control over it.

The short-haired Zelos nodded again. "I know." He looked pointedly at his alternate. "Don't mess this up, all right?"

"I'll try," Zelos mumbled.

"Okay, then. Now that that's settled, Sheena and I have plenty of stuff to do in Mizuho yet, and my little 'Giannovio' project is currently in the 'wait for more information' phase, so we'd better get going."

Sheena chanced a glance at the Zelos from her world, unsurprised to see he looked just as blindsided, distracted, and confused about this as she was. "...Right," she said.

"We'll see you tomorrow, then," the alternate Zelos told his counterpart, releasing his grip around the man's neck.

Sheena briefly met Zelos's eyes as the short-haired Zelos began ushering her out of the park, her heart and mind still racing over everything she'd just learned, but he couldn't hold her gaze long before his eyes fell and he turned away from her. He was still standing there, staring blindly at the ground, when Sheena cast one last perplexed look back at him as they rounded the corner and he vanished from sight.

"You okay?" the other Zelos suddenly asked her.

She honestly had no idea, but the instinctive, "I'm fine," popped out of her mouth before she could stop to think about it.

The look he gave her told her he didn't buy it. "Well, that's a lie and a half."

"What do you want me to say?" she countered, folding her arms to her chest. "I have no idea what I think about any of this, how I feel about it, or how I _should_ feel about it. I have no idea how I let you talk me into going out on a _date_ with him. All I do know is I'm still mad at you for pulling a stunt like that."

Zelos nodded. "That's fine. You can be mad at me as long as you'd like. I would be mad if someone had gone behind my back in a way I felt betrayed me, too. But like I said, I'm not going to apologize for it. I did what I had to do. You needed to know that about him, and he certainly wasn't going to volunteer any of it without my meddling—nor would you have even given him a chance to do so if I hadn't forced the issue. And if I'd told you what I wanted to do here yesterday—find out his side of the story of what happened between you two—would you really have let me do so? Be honest."

Would she? Before this, she would've done everything she could to prevent him from coming anywhere near his alternate, at least with intentions like these. That first morning was an exception because he'd believed he wouldn't run into 'himself' here...which obviously hadn't happened, but it was too late now. Regardless, that, she supposed, was her answer. She turned her head away, her lips pursed. "...No."

"That's what I thought," he replied. "And that's why I didn't tell you and why I had to 'trick' you into coming here today...although, granted, I really did have business here, too. And I promise, Sheena, I only told him what I had to; I didn't tell him all of your secrets. I would never do that to you. Things like those are your choice to share with someone, not mine."

Sheena eyed him again, relieved to see he truly seemed to mean that. The last thing she wanted was this guy telling 'her' Zelos about how desperate she'd been for a miraculous change in her life that she'd resorted to a wish tag to get it. "Good." He smiled faintly, and they continued walking toward Meltokio's entrance. After a moment, though, she realized she really did have to check with him about this, because right now it was the primary question plaguing her mind and it was making deciding how to think and feel about all of this that much harder. "So everything he said before...?"

"It was all true."

She swallowed hard, the knot of uncertainty—and maybe even of excitement—in her gut tightening. "He...he really was in love with me back then?"

His face softened as he looked at her. "He really was in love with you back then. He didn't handle any of it right, I won't deny that, and he never should've treated you the way he did, but what's done is done. I can't speak to his feelings for you now, but I can tell you he feels awful about everything that happened between you two."

"He should...he really was an ass," she murmured.

"Yeah, he told me, and yeah, based on everything he said, he definitely was. He knows it, too. He's human, he made some really dumb choices, and I'm not gonna try to defend or justify them. But like I said, _he's only human_ , and humans mess things up, and take it from me, dealing with and facing his real feelings isn't something he's ever been good at. It took me a long time to get past that, and that was with a whole lot of help and patience from you while I was working it all out."

Sheena looked back at him. She supposed if anyone knew what her world's Zelos Wilder was really thinking and feeling, it would be another version of him. She nodded, accepting that. "Although I'm still not sure what I'm getting myself into with this."

Zelos shook his head. "Honestly? I don't, either. It's been nearly six years; the damage he's inflicted on himself and on his self-esteem since then may be more than even you can help him can overcome. It might also be too much for you to be able to move past, and I know he knows that." Sheena's eyes narrowed—did Zelos really feel _that_ guilty about it?—but before she could question that, Zelos looked at her. "But I still think you two need to see if you can at least repair your friendship. That would be a major first step, for both of you."

In that, she suspected, she would just have to trust him. She nodded, still not completely convinced, but accepting his statement for what it was. "We'll see."

He eyed her again carefully before clearing his throat. "Sheena, the bottom line is that if you ever want things to change, you have to be brave and take a chance, maybe even one you've always dismissed before. It might not be what you expected or even what you think you wanted, but that's how life works. Life rarely gives you what you think you want or need, but you take what you get and make the best of it. And to that end, sometimes you just need to make a decision and stick with it and see what happens. I know how indecisive you can be, but this...whatever you decide to do, whether to give him a chance or not, make your choice and see it through. You'll never know what might come of it if you don't at least see what that option has to offer you, just like you'll never know what good things life might be trying to give you if you don't even give it a chance. That's what my wife and I did, and look where it got us. No, it's not a guarantee—there's _never_ a guarantee—but at least it _is_ a chance. That's more than you'd have if you didn't even try."

Sheena released a low sigh. He was right. That acknowledgement that something needed to change and that she needed to take a chance was exactly why she'd made her wish tag. It was just so hard to keep in mind when everything seemed to be pointing her right back to _Zelos_ , someone who, until a few minutes ago, she'd never wanted to see again and had sworn she'd never give another chance. And yet here she was, doing exactly that. What _had_ she just gotten herself into by agreeing to this, really? She had no idea, but she was curious, especially if this Zelos was right that his alternate had been telling her the truth, and that curiosity, combined with his reminder to make a choice _and stick to it_ , refused to let her change her mind. And so she wouldn't.

"I know," she whispered.

Zelos gave her a faint smile. "Remember, you guys don't _have_ to make this work. Really, you don't. You hold all the power in this; what happens between you now is _your_ choice, because you can choose to see where it goes or you can choose to walk away. Neither option is wrong. And the thing is, if you become friends again one day, great, but if you don't, then you don't. It is what it is. It's entirely possible even if you both try your hardest to make it work that it won't. But you'll never know unless you _try_ and see what comes of it. _Whatever will be, will be._ "

Ah, right. She did remember Zelos saying that once upon a time. Apparently he still held to that belief now. And really, maybe he was right: whatever was going to happen was going to happen, regardless of what she did, so she should just let it happen and not worry about it. Maybe she should be adopting that philosophy herself, seeing what happened, and just dealing with it then instead of worrying and planning and trying to control everything. She returned his smile, truly grateful for his words. "Thanks." But he needed to know this too, and so she pointed at him and gave him a sharp look. "But don't think I'm letting you off the hook for this yet, either. I'm still mad at you."

He chuckled and placed his hand to her back, guiding her out of town—and, damn it, she let him. "I know. You're often mad at me for something or other. Sometimes it's more warranted than others, and this is one of those times. But for now, let's just get back to Mizuho. You have a lot of things you need to think about before tomorrow night."

"Okay." And that, as they say, was that.

0~*~0


	7. Day 5: The Disaster

**Day 5: The Disaster**

It was one of the strangest, most unexpected and unnerving feelings Zelos had ever experienced: _he was actually nervous about a date._

He had gone on countless dates during his life, but never before had he felt like this: antsy, with his gut churning and his brain pointing out every possible way it could go wrong, all the things he could say or do to wreck it, and why he should back out of it. Dates had always been a specialty of his, something he could easily navigate; he had a routine, with standard lines to say at any given point during it, and the date's events always went smoothly, with the woman swooning over him and then eagerly agreeing to accompany him back to his mansion afterwards for some 'fun.' Every date he'd gone on had always been, in some way, about _him_ , about what _he_ could get from it, not about the hunny he was with—most of whom, he had to admit, were indistinguishable from the others. Oh, he knew exactly what to say to make her feel special, like the date was all about her, but that was never what it was, not really; it was always about distracting and distancing himself from his demons, about releasing pent-up lust, and about proving his life wasn't entirely useless and he had at least _one_ purpose: to pleasure a woman.

But now? Yeah...that wasn't really the case now. Not in the least.

In fact, as he went to answer his door only to find his date and his alternate standing on the other side, the only thing he could think was that _he really, really didn't want to go out with Sheena Fujibayashi_.

Never before had he dreaded a date like this; never before hadn't he even been in the _mood_ for a date. It wasn't that he didn't want to spend time with Sheena, catching up with her and trying to repair their broken friendship; he did, especially if it meant a chance to wipe the slate clean and try to do something _right_ with her for once. It wasn't that he wasn't looking forward to taking her to the restaurant he'd selected for them, either; it was the nicest one in town, and he'd never failed to impress any hunny he took there. It wasn't that he wasn't looking forward to getting out of his mansion for awhile, especially after the past few days of being cooped up there while he'd tried to figure out what was going on with the 'other him'; he really was eager to go out on the town again. After all, any date he went on was always full of possibilities, and this one was no exception, especially since it was with the one woman he'd always _wanted_ to go out with.

No, the problem was that he already knew there was no way this 'date'—if Sheena even agreed to call it that—could end well. He was still convinced this was a horrible idea. He would have to carefully scrutinize _every single word he said_ for fear he'd mess everything up before they even reached the restaurant. According to his alternate, he would have to tell her a ton of crap about himself that he'd never told anyone before, and he had no idea how to do that. And, most damning of all, the woman he was going out with was _Sheena Fujibayashi_ , someone who, despite his feelings for her, he had royally hurt, betrayed, pushed away, and basically been a gigantic jackass toward for most of the time he'd known her. He had gotten things with her so wrong that they could never be fixed; they were way past the point of getting a 'clean slate.' How was this supposed to go smoothly when she was right not to be able to stand the sight of him? Why were they even bothering with this, especially when it was painfully clear he in no way _deserved_ a second chance with her after the hell he'd put her through?

No, he definitely wasn't happy about this date, and really, all he wanted to do was crawl under a rock rather than have to deal with the inevitable failure and ultimate rejection that would be coming from it. But naturally, she'd shown up on his doorstep right on time. From the second he'd opened the door, she'd made it clear that _she_ wasn't entirely happy about this, either; all she'd said to him was a simple, "Hi," and then she'd resorted to talking solely to the other version of him, someone she clearly felt more comfortable with. Heck, she couldn't even look at Zelos for more than a second before looking away again. Zelos couldn't blame her, not at all, but still...it didn't alleviate his nerves or dread to know that she really didn't want to talk to him.

Because she hadn't known where Zelos was planning to take her, Sheena had brought a few clothing options with her to change into. Apparently, his short-haired alternate had suggested she do so, and—surprise, surprise—she'd actually listened to him. Once Zelos told her where he'd gotten reservations for them, his alternate helped her pick out an appropriate outfit, and then she headed upstairs to his guest room to change.

"That was actually where I'd planned to take her on our first date, too," Zelos's doppelganger said.

Zelos arched an eyebrow. "'Planned to'?"

"Something came up and it didn't work out. We ended up having an impromptu picnic instead. Had a great time, too."

...Ah. A picnic. "I didn't even consider that possibility."

"But she does like this restaurant, too," his alternate quickly added. "I've taken my Sheena there a few times myself. We even celebrated one of our wedding anniversaries there." He shrugged. "Overall, Sheena's not much for fancy Meltokio restaurants. If given the choice, she'll pick a picnic over it any day. But she doesn't mind this one, either, so you should be fine tonight."

...Yeah, wonderful. That was just what he'd wanted to hear when he was already _not_ looking forward to this: that he'd picked the wrong venue for this date. Well, on the bright side, maybe it would work to his advantage and end the date sooner than it would have otherwise and then they could get on with their normal lives? But...agh, what was he _thinking_? As bad of an idea as this whole 'date' thing was, he really _did_ want her to have a good time tonight, so he had to readjust his mindset, and quick, before _he_ was the one who ended up wrecking it. As hard as it might be, he had to make sure that didn't happen.

But before he could sufficiently bolster his nerves, there she was, walking down the steps toward them, looking amazing in a simple but pretty, sleeveless, purple dress, and his heart nearly stopped. This was actually happening: he was going out on a date with this woman, someone he'd wanted to go out with for years...this was nothing less than a dream come true! And yet he couldn't help thinking this was his worst nightmare, too, especially as she eyed him warily when he smiled at her, a signal he took as a warning to take extra care over everything he said and did. Instantly, his smile vanished and his nerves flared again, silencing his tongue from saying all the things he wanted to say: how amazing she looked (possibly even more beautiful now than she had been years ago), how glad he was to see her again, how grateful he was that she hadn't killed him yet and had given him this chance, and how sorry he truly was for everything he'd done to her. And her next words, spoken without any hint of amusement to the other 'him,' didn't help any, either.

"Remind me again why I agreed to this?"

"You know why," his alternate replied softly, giving her a pointed look.

Zelos forced himself to ignore her doubt—not to mention his own sudden nausea—and give her a smile, willing his nerves to behave. Yep, tonight was going to go _so very well_ , wasn't it? By the end of the night he fully expected she would have either killed him or, worse, completely ravaged his heart by rejecting him for good, and chances were he'd never see either one coming until too late.

"Ready?" he asked her.

Sheena nodded faintly, albeit still not meeting his eyes. "Yeah."

...He truly wasn't sure he could go through with this. And so, to try to relieve his nerves, he resorted to his constant companion: humor. He gave his alternate a pointed look. "Don't wreck the place."

The other 'him' sighed exaggeratedly. "Damn, there goes my plan to completely disassemble all the furniture while you're gone."

Sheena snorted softly; apparently she had forgiven him for 'betraying' her the previous day if she was laughing at his jokes. And suddenly Zelos couldn't help wondering what kind of feelings she had for the man. Had she fallen for him? Should Zelos be jealous of him? Not like he had any right to be jealous of _any_ man she was interested in, but still, a gnawing pit in his stomach was making him think that was exactly what this was. It was ridiculous to be jealous of him—the man was _him_ , for crying out loud!—and yet he couldn't stop himself from wondering. After all, if she _was_ falling for that other him, what chance did _he_ stand with her? The guy was, after all, a more mature, responsible, respectable, and all-the-way-around-improved version of him. Literally. Not to mention he'd never done half of the things to her that Zelos had.

...But he couldn't think about that long since his alternate quickly ushered them out the door, and a second later Zelos found himself outside with Sheena, the light of day beginning to fade. Taking a deep breath, he forced a smile for her—more feebly than he liked, but he couldn't manage more than that, given the current circumstances—and then offered her his arm. The best thing he could do was probably take the sweet, gentlemanly route with her. "Shall we?"

For a moment Sheena just eyed his outstretched arm warily, but then, to his surprise, she actually accepted it, letting him guide her toward the restaurant. Granted, she still wasn't smiling, but the fact that she wasn't shying away from touching him was still a hopeful sign. They walked in silence toward the restaurant—not because Zelos didn't _want_ to talk to her, and not because he had nothing to say to her, but because, well, he honestly had no idea what _to_ say at that point, and because he was afraid to say _anything_ yet and mess it up before they'd even reached their destination. On their way, Zelos could see a few of his hunnies out and about, looking at them curiously, unsure who he was with that night. The minute they got a closer look, though, a few of the bolder ones actually had the gall to approach them, smile and wink at him seductively, mouth "Later!" to him, glare at Sheena, and then head off, giggling, but Zelos just ignored them and smiled at Sheena as she looked at him uncertainly, clearly trying to gauge what he would do.

After the fourth time that happened, though, she finally frowned and spoke up. "What, you're not going to make plans with them for later?"

A test...this was definitely a test. He could handle this. "Nope."

But she just shrugged and looked away from him. "Hey, if that's what you want, you don't have to turn them down on my account. After this you're free to do whatever—or _whoever_ —you want. We're just going out to talk, remember?"

Zelos looked her over carefully, trying to gauge if she was still testing him, if she was expressing jealousy over all the women he'd been with, or if she truly didn't care either way. Her expression was blank, though, making it hard to tell. Well, seeing as he really didn't give a damn about those women and he _did_ give a damn about _Sheena,_ he'd err on the side of caution. "Actually, I'm hoping I won't ever have to 'see' them again."

Her eyes narrowed and she looked back at him. "And that doesn't bother you?"

"No, it really doesn't," he stated, no doubt about that in his mind. Because while he still didn't think this 'thing' with Sheena had any chance of going anywhere, if she really was considering giving him _any_ kind of chance, then he would do whatever it took not to blow it, including shaking off every single one of his clingy hunnies to prove he was serious. That was one thing he'd realized since his alternate had showed up and completely changed his view of life: he _wanted_ this to work with Sheena. He didn't have a clue how to actually _do_ that, but he _wanted_ it, so badly that it made his heart ache. His alternate had actually _married_ her; he not only had a family he loved dearly, but he had _her_. He had found true peace and happiness...with _her._ There was nothing Zelos wouldn't give to receive even a tiny taste of that. If there was any chance at all, even one as slight as this, he would take it, no matter what the cost—his hunnies and all the regular yet ultimately unfulfilling and empty sex he'd had included. In a heartbeat.

Now if only being with her didn't make him feel so damn guilty and uncertain about how to treat her and afraid to say anything for fear of messing it all up.

Sheena eyed him another moment, probably trying to determine if he was serious, and Zelos offered her a smile, hopeful that she would take that the right way, not as a lie intended to manipulate her into trusting him. She didn't say anything, nor did she return his smile, but she did finally nod and look ahead of them as they continued walking. A few minutes later they reached the restaurant. He held open the door for her, a gesture she seemed reluctant to accept but did anyway, and then he was asking the waiter to find them a quiet table away from the main crowd.

Thankfully, being the ex-Chosen and a frequent patron of the restaurant, he was usually able to get whatever he wanted here, and tonight was no exception. The room where they ended up wasn't completely empty, Zelos noted as the waiter led them to their table, but at least it had fewer people than normal. He offered Sheena a smile and made a point to take her coat, pull out her chair, and push it in once she'd seated herself before finally sitting himself, and while he could tell the attention made her uncomfortable, she didn't stop him either—which he also choose to take as a good sign.

After a moment, she took a deep breath and looked around the room. "This place seems nice enough."

Okay, small talk. He could handle this. He gave her half a smile. "I hoped you'd like it. The food here is good."

Sheena nodded faintly, but then she fell silent again as she picked up the menu and started looking through it. Zelos had to bite back a sigh of disappointment; so much for the small talk. And the thing was, he still had no idea how to talk to her when she was acting like this: polite, but wary and vaguely cold and distant and disinterested, clearly uncomfortable being out with him, whether this was a full-blown date or 'just two friends catching up.' He couldn't blame her, but he'd been hoping for a little more from her. She had agreed to this, after all, with surprisingly little arm-twisting on his alternate's part.

After a few minutes, thankfully, she did talk to him again, pointing out that she had no idea what half of the dishes on the menu were and asking what she should order, and so Zelos summoned every bit of knowledge he'd ever known about her tastes to try to guide her to the right choice. Also thankfully, she accepted his recommendation for a chicken and rice dish, and they placed their orders.

Not so thankfully, though, soon after the waiter had left, a hunny who Zelos had noted—but made a point to soundly ignore—sitting nearby with a nice-looking guy approached their table. The most bizarre part, though, was that even though she was obviously on her own date, she still came over, _in her date's line of sight_ , and abruptly interrupted them, saying, "Why, _Chooooosen_! I never expected to see _you_ here tonight! You know, if you want to meet me later for some 'fun'"—she inserted an exaggerated wink that made her look not only like a wanton wench, but utterly ridiculous—"I would be _delighted_ to do so."

Zelos cringed. She was one hunny he had always regretted inviting into his bed because her voice sounded like a shrill, screeching cat and she was especially possessive, catty, and annoying when it came to his other hunnies. He'd been in an especially bad, dark place those nights, but it still hadn't excused resorting to using _her_ to dull the pain. And now...now it appeared his indiscretion was going to bite him on the ass by making Sheena suffer for it. It took all his restraint not to tell her to shut up and go away.

Instead, he forced a smile for her, hoping, for once, that she got the message that he was being as blatantly fake and dismissive as possible. "I don't know if you noticed, but I'm a little busy right now."

But naturally, she didn't take the hint. No, instead she turned her attention to Sheena, her lips curling in distaste. "Don't I remember you? Oh, right, you were that _country hick_ with the... _interesting..._ fashion sense that always used to hang around Meltokio, aren't you? I hadn't even noticed you weren't here! Why don't you go back to...whatever backwater town you're from and find yourself a caveman to chase around instead? Master Zelos deserves better than a plain, ordinary girl like _you_." Her overly painted blue eyes snapped back to Zelos and she beamed him a lustful smile. "Come on, Chosen, come see me later, at the usual place! I'll make it worth your while..."

Zelos couldn't believe the gall of this woman, not only to say that _to Sheena's face_ , but _while_ _he was sitting right there_. She must really feel threatened and desperate if she'd resorted to such lowbrow tactics to publicly insult her. His heart sank as Sheena's face grew bright red with obvious embarrassment and fury. It was painfully obvious to him, if not to this hunny, that she was about ready to punch the woman's lights out and then storm out of there, neither of which Zelos could have. But fortunately, he had ammunition she didn't have against this girl—ammunition that wouldn't get either of them permanently banned from the restaurant.

He cleared his throat and raised his voice so everyone in the room, including her date, could hear him, and then pointed at her face. "Oh, Matilda, you might want to take a look at that. Your makeup has a smudge." His eyes narrowed, and he pulled a face. "Ooh...doesn't look like you've been able to get rid of that rash you were complaining about two weeks ago yet, either. Y'know, the one you said makes you look like the cross between a tomato and a horse and that's spread all the way down to your—"

As anticipated, Matilda immediately turned bright red and squawked—in a decidedly unladylike fashion—before he could even finish, and she immediately ran out of the room. Off to his side, Zelos could see her date gape first at the doorway where she'd disappeared, then at Zelos, horrified, but instead of immediately running after her, he instead began shoveling food into his mouth, as if in a hurry to get out of there before she could return.

Zelos smirked, pleased by his handiwork, and, for the first time since leaving his mansion, he was actually able to get a half-smile out of Sheena. "Thanks," she said.

And just like that, Zelos could see why Sheena preferred private picnics to public restaurants, especially if they ran into vicious hunnies wherever they went in Meltokio. "I'm really sorry about that, Sheena. Anyone who knows her knows not to take her, or anything she says, seriously."

She nodded faintly, the smile on her lips falling. "I thought women in Meltokio were supposed to be more polite and refined than that."

"Usually they are, but unfortunately that doesn't hold true when it comes to someone they deem their 'competition' for a guy's affection," he replied. "If I had a gald for every time a hunny has stabbed another in the back trying to get my attention, I'd be...well, I'd be far richer than I already am. That entire spiel from her just means she sees you as someone beautiful enough to be a threat to her. In a way, it's actually a backhanded compliment."

Her eyes fell to the table. "...If you say so."

Any smile she'd had a minute ago was now gone, and Zelos could feel himself panicking again. This wasn't going well so far, with Sheena still exuding no relaxation or happiness, and he wasn't sure how to salvage it. He wasn't sure if she was upset because of Matilda and her stupid insults, or if despite his best efforts to watch everything he said, he'd still managed to say something careless that gave her the wrong impression about him, or what, but he was fumbling for something to say that would magically turn the night around. Well, okay, and so he was hoping to put off having that major conversation he knew they were _actually_ here to have for as long as he could, too.

In lieu of any better options, and deciding to put off that discussion until after they'd eaten, Zelos decided to take a stab at countering Matilda's insults in case that was still bothering her—and, as an added benefit, he could relay how glad he was to be there with her. "You know, Sheena, whether Matilda meant her words as an insult or a backhanded compliment, you really do look beautiful tonight."

But her reaction was the last thing in the world he'd expected. Instead of blushing and smiling shyly, Sheena instantly froze, stared at him a moment through guarded eyes, and then looked down at the table, her face not growing _red_ , as he'd expected, but rather _pale_. For a long moment she didn't say anything, not to thank him for the impossible-to-misinterpret compliment nor even to brush it off out of humility, and Zelos could tell that something wasn't right—a hunch that grew more certain with each passing second. A knot was growing in his stomach in a way that told him he had just messed up with her, badly, and a sudden wave of desperation washed over him.

"What?" he pressed, leaning toward her. "Sheena, what is it? What's wrong?"

But instead of answering him, instead of even _looking_ at him, Sheena pushed her chair back and, to his horror, whispered, "I can't do this. Excuse me." And then, as he watched, blinking blankly, blindsided, she hurried to the door.

Zelos rose to his feet, his lips parted. "Sheena?"

But she didn't turn back toward him, and next he knew she was gone. It took his stunned brain a moment to realize she wasn't just heading for the restroom or outside to get air, but that she had grabbed her coat and was _leaving the restaurant_. Naturally, the waiter chose _right then_ to show up with their food, delaying him from following her while he said they had to leave and that the restaurant should put it on his tab. By the time he'd worked his way through the restaurant, asking people on his way if they'd seen her, to which the man at the door said she'd just left, she was nowhere to be seen outside. He had no idea where she was going, but he knew he had to find her. He jogged a bit down one side of the street, but he still didn't see her, and so he decided to head back to his mansion. Her clothes were there, after all, and besides, that was where her _other_ companion was awaiting her. Now he just had to get back there before she hightailed it back to Mizuho.

Talk about an utter disaster and failure of a night.

Zelos had a sinking suspicion that any hope, no matter how small, that he'd once had of fixing everything with her had just been completely blown, and he had no idea how or why. It was likely connected to what Matilda had said...and yet Sheena had seemed _fine_ immediately after he'd chased off that stupid hunny. Grateful, even, for getting rid of her as he had. Hell, she'd even _smiled_! If the problem really had been connected to Matilda and what she'd said, wouldn't Sheena have left sooner? Unless...she'd just decided the entire 'date' situation with him had been too weird and she'd given up altogether? For the life of him, he just didn't know. He just knew he'd somehow messed it up, badly.

Reaching his mansion, Zelos rushed inside. Thankfully, he could tell right away that Sheena was there since his alternate was standing at the bottom of the steps, about to climb them, looking concerned as he called her name. "Where is she?" Zelos asked him.

His alternate looked back at him, his eyes wide and demanding. "What the hell happened? What did you do? You two weren't even gone an hour!"

"I have no idea! She just ran off a minute ago without a word of explanation."

His short-haired alternate turned and walked directly up to him. " _What did you do_?"

Zelos threw his hands up in sincere ignorance. "Nothing! Honest!"

"You had to have said or done _something_ ," the other 'him' prompted. "She wouldn't have come back here otherwise."

" _I don't know_ ," Zelos replied. " _Seriously_. I mean, Matilda came up to us at the restaurant, insulted Sheena, and I insulted her back and chased her off, but I'm not sure if that's connected to why Sheena left."

His doppelganger shook his head. "No, she wouldn't have run off because of one of your hunnies, especially not if that hunny had already left. What did you say after that?"

"Nothing!"

But his alternate took another step closer to him until they were standing mere inches apart. _"What. Did. You. Say?!"_

"I'm telling you, I didn't say anything! I told her she looked beautiful tonight, and she excused herself and ran off!" To Zelos's utter amazement, his alternate suddenly backed off, groaned, and let his head sink downward, burying his face in his hands. This was making _absolutely no sense_. "What? What did I do?"

The other 'him,' though, just shook his head, lowered his hands from his face, and sighed. "I should've known. I probably should've warned you about that...it's just been so long since it's been a problem in my world that I completely forgot about it." He cleared his throat and met Zelos's eyes. "All right, let me talk to her. We'll get this sorted out."

...What? _What the hell?_ What was the problem? Zelos still had no idea what had just happened. "I don't get it. What's going on? What's wrong with what I said? Did I do something wrong?"

"No, you couldn't have known," his alternate replied, shaking his head again. "Like I said, I'll talk to her."

For a moment, Zelos just gaped as his alternate started heading up the stairs, but then he quickly followed him. "But what...?"

"I accidentally tripped over the same landmine on our first date, and if we'd been in a place where she could've easily run off, she likely would have, just like your Sheena did tonight," he replied, looking back at him, his face sad and empathetic. "I just lucked out that she couldn't and that at that point she'd trusted me enough to tell me what was bothering her and give me a chance to respond to it. This won't be pretty, but you need to hear what she has to say—and you need to hear it directly from her, not from me. Give me a minute. I'll get her back out here." Zelos didn't respond to that—he didn't know _how_ to respond to that, seeing as he was even more confused now than he had been before—and the other 'him' continued up the steps. Before he could press for more answers, his doppelganger knocked on the door. "Sheena? Sweetheart, it's me. Y'know, the _other_ me. I'm coming in, okay?" Zelos didn't hear her respond, but his alternate tentatively cracked open the door anyway and, when she didn't object, he pushed it open fully. "Stay here," he told Zelos, and then he stepped inside and closed the door, locking it behind him.

And so, frustrated, confused, and impatient to find out what the hell was going on, Zelos leaned back against the wall beside the door, folded his arms to his chest, and did the only thing he could do: wait.

0~*~0

The first thing Sheena did upon reaching the safety of Zelos's guest room was change back into her typical, far more comfortable attire. The next thing she did was sit down on the bed and try to regain control over her pounding heart, her racing thoughts, and her raging emotions. She felt utterly exhausted, her confusion was overwhelming, and at that point, she wanted only one thing: to go home and forget tonight had ever happened.

The 'date' itself—not that she was sure she wanted to call it that yet—had actually been going relatively well, despite her reservations. Zelos had not only paid his hunnies no heed, but he'd gotten that one tramp off her back and made it clear he was there with _her_ tonight. The restaurant itself had been nice—maybe not her cup of tea, but for a fancy Meltokio restaurant, she hadn't felt completely uncomfortable there, and part of her had actually been curious how the food was. Zelos had been a perfect gentleman the whole time, exuding no smug, smarmy, cocky, or obnoxious behavior. In fact, he'd been surprisingly calm and subdued the entire time, maybe even a bit _nervous_ , she'd thought, which was so out of character for him that she'd had trouble believing what she'd been seeing.

And then he'd...well, then he'd reverted right back into his typical Zelos Wilder ways by trying to win her over the way he did every single hunny he met: by flattering her on her appearance with empty, insincere platitudes meant to pass as compliments.

Sheena released a low sigh, disappointment washing over her. As much as she'd been dreading this 'date' and had been questioning her decision to agree to it, a tiny part of her that she hated to acknowledge existed had actually been _hopeful_ tonight: hopeful it would be the start of a massive change in her life, hopeful that she really had been wrong all this time about Zelos, hopeful that he would let her see a man who resembled the alternate Zelos, hopeful that one day she could call him a friend again, maybe even something more, like she'd apparently found in that mirror world. She wasn't sure what she'd wanted most from tonight—proof that he really had loved her once? Proof that he really wasn't a horrible human being? Proof that, given the right circumstances, he could become a man as admirable, helpful, and _loveable_ as his alternate, someone she could actually _feel_ something for?—but whatever it was, she'd wanted it, and despite her fear of being hurt by him yet again, she'd allowed herself to have hope.

What a fool she'd been for letting the alternate Zelos plant that hope within her when she'd known all along that the Zelos Wilder of her world simply wasn't a man she could ever have _hope_ with.

As expected, only a minute after retreating to this room she heard the alternate Zelos knock and call to her through the door. She really didn't want to talk to him; tonight's disaster was ultimately _his_ fault, after all, since he was the one who'd talked her into doing something common sense had insisted was a bad idea. On the other hand, though, she also didn't feel like fighting with him right now; she just wanted to go home and never come back here. Succumbing to her exhaustion, she wrapped her arms around herself, stared out the window, and let him come in anyway, grateful to hear the door lock behind him.

"I don't want to talk about it," she said.

From the corner of her eye she saw him nod and approach her, stopping when he was standing off to her side. "I know you don't, but you have to. I'm not leaving until we have."

Sheena frowned, but she wasn't mad, not at him, not really. "Zelos, I know you only want to help, but I just...I can't do this. _Any_ of this. Not with him."

"Yes, you can," he replied with a ridiculous, in her mind _unwarranted_ , amount of certainty. After a moment he sighed and sat down beside her. "Look, don't bother trying to hide the truth about what you're thinking or feeling from me. I know what he said to you, and I know why you're upset about it. I know because I said the same thing to my wife once, and she reacted in nearly the same way you did. The difference is, she didn't run away from me. Instead, she told me what she was thinking and explained how my words made her feel. It was...well, it was very eye-opening for me. As ugly as facing the truth was, you were right to be upset about it, and I needed to hear that." Sheena didn't reply, unsure what to say, and Zelos gently touched her arm. "C'mon, Sheena, talk to me."

Naturally, yet again he knew what she was thinking and why 'her' Zelos's words had bothered her. His insight into her mind was really rather annoying. With a sigh, she relinquished the fight. Fine, if he wanted to hear this, then she would tell him. "Everything was going well before that, too. The restaurant was nice, he'd chased off his hunnies and was acting so nice and sweet and _normal_ toward me..."

"...And then he called you 'beautiful.'"

She nodded faintly. She knew it sounded ridiculous to react like that over a _compliment,_ but she couldn't help it. His words had _hurt,_ and they'd finally pushed her past her ability to tolerate the 'weirdness' of the whole night. "He says that to every woman he meets. I've heard it, Zelos. _Every single woman—_ except _me_. Me, he always made fun of, ogling these," she pointed at her chest, "and saying they're my only attractive feature. And then tonight he suddenly throws that word at me, too, just like he has at everyone else. It's nothing more than his insincere, syrupy way of flattering a woman— _any_ woman, no matter how plain and ugly she may be." Her voice lowered as she added, " _Like me_ ," but then she cleared her throat, her voice resuming its natural tone. "I know how stupid this sounds, because it's not like I've ever been trying to impress him and I've never cared about how he saw me, and I'm not even sure why it's bothering me so much now, but I'm no different to him than any other of his hunnies. He proved that tonight."

"So it truly _does_ bother you," he clarified.

She hated this, admitting such things to anyone _._ This was why she hadn't wanted to talk to him. "It shouldn't, but it does."

"Yes, Sheena, it should," Zelos said with surprising forcefulness. "What I—what _he_ —did to you all those years ago, back before the worlds were reunited, was completely uncalled for. It was _wrong_. And until that moment when my Sheena told me not to call her 'beautiful' and then explained her feelings, feelings identical to yours, I never would've known how she viewed herself...I never would've known how badly I'd messed up by teasing her and how much damage it— _I_ —had caused her and her self-esteem. Hearing her tell me that, realizing what I'd done...it nearly killed me. But she _is_ beautiful, and I needed to hear her tell me how I'd always made her feel, and, well, it was an extremely important moment for us. Because of it, I was able to do everything I could to try to right those wrongs and convince her just how beautiful and attractive I find her to be.

"And the thing is, Sheena, while I know you won't believe this yet, you _are_ beautiful— _truly_ beautiful—as beautiful as my wife is. You always were to me, despite my stupid teasing. That's why I know the other me was telling you the truth tonight, because remember, for most of our lives, he _was_ me. If I felt that way back then, then so did he, and I have no doubt he still does. He wasn't trying to hurt you by being insincere and flattering you with pretty but meaningless words. _He meant it_. In fact, he's out there right now, beating himself up, wondering what he did wrong and probably cursing himself and saying it figures, he can't do anything right with you." His voice lowered. "I know I would be."

Sheena's eyes widened. She wasn't sure she believed that yet, but she also couldn't deny that his face was frighteningly sincere. "Wait...you're serious?"

He gave her a pointed look. "Sheena, I would never lie to you about this."

She had to know this. "So...you really do?"

His eyes narrowed. "Do...what? Find you to be beautiful?" Her face was blazing—she could feel it—and she looked down at her hands, embarrassed, again, to be feeling this way. "Oh, Jizou, Sheena, you have no idea how beautiful you are. To this day, you never have recognized it in yourself. You are _the_ most beautiful woman I've ever laid eyes on, and that hasn't changed in the years since I married you. That's been the case since long, _long_ before we started dating, even."

She was stunned. Could it really be? She looked up at him again, that time unable to prevent her hope from resurfacing. "...Really?"

Zelos gave her a faint but certain smile. "Yes, really. And that's how I know _he wasn't lying to you_. He may have said those words to every other woman before this, because it was what they wanted to hear, but you're the first woman he's said that to _and really meant it_. Okay?"

Her heart was pounding, and she had to swallow hard, trying to get control over her voice. "You mean, he wasn't just saying it?"

He shook his head. "He wasn't just saying it; he really meant it."

Zelos...found her to be beautiful? _Her?_ _Really?_ Again, she was having trouble believing that, after everything he used to say about how plain she was and how her chest was the only part of her that was special. But if his alternate meant that, then...that meant she had jumped to conclusions about Zelos and his intentions yet again tonight, hadn't she? She had assumed wrong, thinking the worst about him yet again. "And then I...I ran away and completely wrecked everything, didn't I?"

Instead of directly answering that, Zelos bumped her shoulder with his. "And he has no idea what he did wrong, how he upset you, and why you ran out on him, so right now you need to go out there and talk to him. You need to tell him why his words upset you so much. You're not wrong to be upset about it, but you do have to stop running long enough to explain it to him. He needs to know why you reacted like you did, why you don't trust his words. You need to tell him everything you just told me."

Her stomach felt vaguely nauseous, and now she really, _really_ wanted to go home. Zelos had been trying so hard tonight to make sure the date went well—that much had been obvious—and then she'd just run away without telling him the truth or giving him a chance to defend himself. And according to his alternate, she'd hurt him. Again. That was pretty par for the course with her, wasn't it? She _always_ seemed to do that when it came to him. For years she'd been finding ways to hurt the men who loved her. Orochi had loved her, and instead of letting him go so he could find a woman he loved and who loved him, she'd used him as a makeshift husband because she was afraid to look for other options and she'd needed _someone_ to fill that role in her life. Zelos had loved her once, too, and she'd gone off and married another man without even realizing he'd _had_ feelings for her, even though he'd been trying to tell her in his own warped way. It wasn't fair to them...and she really wanted to stop doing that. But how?

"I...I don't know that I can do this," she whispered.

He grasped her hand and squeezed it gently. "Yes, you can. Remember what I said about having to take a chance sometime? This is exactly what I meant. You have to make a decision, take that chance, and do something you might not be comfortable with but that your heart keeps pulling you toward. If you don't, nothing will ever change. This is one of those opportunities to change everything, a pivotal moment that only comes around once in a blue moon, and if you don't take it now, you may not get another one. Don't just take my word for it. You need to listen to what he has to say. If you don't, you'll never be able to get past this or all the other issues you two have. And if you don't get past it, then there's no chance anything good could ever come of this. Is that really what you want?"

The answer was blindingly obvious, even if it was still hard for her to admit it. "...No."

A faint smile graced his lips. "And just remember, _he wasn't lying_. He really does find you to be the most beautiful woman he's ever met. He wasn't lying at the restaurant, and I think it's safe to say he won't lie to you now, either. I think he's realized that constantly lying and pushing you away aren't the answer anymore, that they never were, and that, in the long run, it's caused far more problems for you both than it's solved. This is your decision, and I want you to stick with whatever choice you make, but I'm asking you to give him a chance. Please. For both of your sakes."

The knot in her stomach tightened even further at the thought of actually admitting all of this to _him_ , the other Zelos, the one she'd known for years and with whom she'd been through so much. This Zelos was right, though: if she wanted anything to change, which she couldn't deny she did, she had to take a chance and see what came of it. Nothing would ever change if she was too afraid to take a step outside of her comfort zone. And right now, as insane as it was to consider, Zelos was the best chance she had...one that, if his alternate was anything to go by, was actually a pretty damn good one, no matter how hard that might be to believe. If Zelos really was, deep down, the same as this man, then she wanted to find him. She wanted to know more; she wanted to _see_ more. If she had to open her own heart to find this man buried there in him, then she would.

There, she had made her decision, and like this Zelos had said, she had to stick to it and see it through. Sheena nodded curtly, refusing to let herself change her mind. "Okay."

Zelos's smile broadened and he motioned at the door. "Then go on. Go talk to him."

Sheena eyed him a moment, working up the nerve to take that next step, then she took a deep breath and forced herself to stand and head to the door, despite the resistance and fear building within her again of actually _doing_ this. Opening the door, she stepped out onto the balcony. It didn't take long to find him; Zelos was sitting on the floor beside the door, his back against the wall, still dressed up in the attractive suit he'd worn to the restaurant, staring ahead of him blankly. The moment she stepped onto the balcony, though, he looked up at her and jumped to his feet, his expression a mixture of concern, alarm, confusion, and even, Sheena couldn't help thinking, fear.

"Sheena!" he said, taking a step closer to her, his brows furrowed. "Are you okay?"

Sheena looked back at the short-haired Zelos as he, too, stepped out of the guest room, but he just nodded to her, urging her to answer. "I'm fine, Zelos," she said.

"What happened?" Zelos pressed with an urgency that indicated his alternate had been right: he really was upset and worried. "What did I do? Was it because of Matilda? Because if that's it, I'll barge into her house right now and punch her in the face—"

Sheena shook her head. "No, it wasn't her."

He blinked at her, confused. "Then what...?"

And again Sheena hesitated, her earlier determination faltering now that the moment of doing this was actually upon her, and the alternate Zelos motioned at her again. "Tell him."

Okay, fine. She couldn't think about this; she just had to _do it_. She sighed, took a deep breath, and looked back at Zelos. "You said I looked 'beautiful' earlier."

Unsurprisingly, he didn't get it; all he did was stare at her a moment blankly. "Right...? I...I don't understand. You _did_ look beautiful tonight. Still do, in fact."

Her face flushed at his words—words she wanted to hear but that yet again her mind rejected. Her eyes darted back at the short-haired Zelos, but he just frowned and motioned at her, more insistently than before. " _Tell him._ "

Zelos blinked again as he looked between them, his eyes narrowing. "Tell me what?"

_C'mon, Sheena, just_ _ **say**_ _it._ She pursed her lips, summoned every bit of frustration she usually felt whenever she was with Zelos Wilder, and looked back at him. "Zelos, you say that to _every single woman you meet_. How many women have I heard you use that line with, calling them a 'beautiful hunny' or 'hey, beautiful'? Far more than either of us could count. Little girls, old women, and everyone in between, not because you find them to be beautiful, but because you want something from them—free handouts, a date, someone to jump into bed with you, whatever. What makes me any different than them? Pretty words lose their impact when you say them to _everyone,_ even though you can't possibly mean it. How am I supposed to know when you're being sincere about that or when you're only saying it because you want something from someone? Especially when you're talking about _me_?"

His lips parted and his eyes widened. "Wait...you think I didn't mean it when I said you were beautiful?"

Of course that was what she'd thought! Had he really never stopped to think about how his words and actions had come across to her all those years? "Well, how _could_ I? You spent years— _years!_ —teasing me and making fun of me and my looks and saying my only redeeming feature was _this_." Sheena pointed again at her chest. "So now, out of the blue, I'm suddenly supposed to believe you find me attractive? Especially when I know I'm _not_?"

"...What?" he whispered, his face twisting into an expression that looked an awful lot like horror. "You don't...you don't really _believe_ that, do you? That you aren't beautiful?"

Her face was burning again. "What? I'm not! I'm plain, and ordinary, and nothing a hotshot jock like _you_ , someone who can have any woman you want, would even consider if it weren't for _this_ guy," she pointed at the other 'him,' "planting strange ideas in everyone's heads. You're the one who for years called me 'stupid' and 'boring' and 'plain' and a whole lot of other things I don't want to remember that just reemphasized what I'd already known about myself!"

"...Sweet Martel, what have I done?" And then Zelos did something she never expected: he became very, very quiet, his shoulders drooped, and face grew so pale that it looked almost white. "Sheena, I'm sorry. I am so, _so_ sorry. I...I never thought...I never realized that you...that you actually _believed_ me about that. You were supposed to _hate_ me for saying such dumb things about you, not _believe_ me about it!"

"See, that's the problem," the alternate Zelos said softly. "Despite your intentions, Sheena never did hate you for that. I know because it didn't work for me, either. Instead of making her hate you, all you were doing was hurting her."

Zelos's eyes widened even as Sheena's narrowed. What were they talking about? It had been Zelos's intent to 'make her hate him'? Why in the world would he want her to _hate_ him? But before she could figure that out or even voice her confusion, Zelos looked back at her. "Oh, Martel, Sheena, I never...I never meant to hurt you like that..." He briefly fell silent, but then suddenly he nodded, more to himself than to her, his face hardening. "Y'know what? Tonight was a huge mistake. I knew this 'date' was pointless and a bad idea, and this is exactly why. I've messed up far too badly with you to ever fix it. You're right to not trust me or want anything to do with me ever again. All I can say is, I'm sorry. I won't bother you or waste your time again." The change that came over him was so sudden and drastic that she had trouble recognizing what she was seeing, and as a result, she didn't even think to stop him as he turned and quickly retreated to his bedroom.

Fortunately, the alternate Zelos was better capable of comprehending what was happening. Before his long-haired counterpart had even vanished inside, he stepped forward, his brows furrowed. "What the...that's _it_? You're just gonna _leave_?" But Zelos didn't stop; he just closed the door behind him. The other Zelos threw his hands out in frustration. "Agh, for the love of... _again_ with the running away?! _Jizou_ , if it's not one of you, then it's the other! I can't win with you two!"

Sheena shook her head and folded her arms to her chest. She still didn't understand what 'her' Zelos had meant, and she still had no idea what she was thinking or feeling about this—vindicated finally being able to tell Zelos how he'd always made her feel? Empty and disappointed that this bizarre experiment was now over? Relieved because she wouldn't have to deal with this craziness anymore?—but one thing he'd said _did_ make sense. "I don't know, Zelos, maybe he's right and this really is pointless. I mean, I know you only mean well here, but—"

" _No_ ," he cut her off, his eyes sharp as he looked back at her, just _daring_ her to argue that. "I'm not giving up on you two, not yet." With a sigh, he closed his eyes and rubbed his face. "Man, I wish my wife was here..."

Yeah, she supposed he did. He'd been here several days now, away from his family...away from _her._ "Because you miss her?"

"No, because...well, yeah, that too, but mainly because I could really use a hug right now. Not to mention a reminder that we really _aren't_ this hopeless and stubborn anymore." He lowered his hand, looked back at her thoughtfully, and then gently grabbed her arm and tugged her toward the door, his face once again set. "C'mon."

And just like that, she felt her panic rising again. "Zelos...what are you doing?"

"You two are going to see this conversation through whether you like it or not." He didn't even bother knocking on 'his' door; instead, he threw it open and dragged Sheena inside, only releasing her once they were standing beside the bed where the other 'him' was sitting, the picture of defeat. "Uh uh. Sorry, buddy, but you don't get to take the easy way out by running away from this. You two _are_ going to work this out, even if I have to lock you in here to make it happen. Now listen carefully, both of you. You two are a mess. I get it. So were my wife and I. But y'know what? _We figured it out_ , _and_ _so will you_. I believe in you two, and I sure as hell hope that one day you do, too. No, our marriage isn't perfect. Sheena has made decisions that have hurt me more times than I care to remember. I've done the same to her. I regret an awful lot of the things I've done, and I know she does, too. Serious relationships are a lot of work. They're hard, and they're painful, and they're downright frustrating and infuriating at times, and that's _especially_ true when the two people in it are as different and difficult as we are.

"But in spite of that, what we have is worth it. I love that woman more than life itself. I would do anything for her. She must feel the same about me if she's stuck with me this long, not to mention I wouldn't be standing here right now if she didn't. My point is that you _can_ make this work if you want it to, even with all the extra baggage you guys have that we didn't. You just have to put the time and effort into it to _make_ it work. Don't think about it too hard or talk yourself out of it by listing all the reasons why it's a bad idea; just _do_ it. I really don't think you'll regret it. We're worth fighting for."

Sheena folded her arms to her chest as the short-haired Zelos drew her further forward, until she could see his alternate's guilt-ridden, anguished face where he sat on his bed, staring intently at his hands, an uncharacteristic blush on his cheeks. When neither said anything, though—because honestly, Sheena still had no idea what _to_ say when she wasn't even sure yet if she wanted to talk to 'her' Zelos again or would rather just give up for good—the alternate Zelos sighed, his voice softening. "Look, I know how hard this is for you both, but I only have one more day here. That means I only have one more full day to mediate between you two and try to iron out all of your misunderstandings and mistaken conclusions. You two need to _talk_ — _really_ talk. Sheena, tell him your concerns and your feelings. Don't hide them from him; he needs to know the truth. And you," he turned to the other 'him,' "tell her your reasoning behind your choices, why you treated her the way you did. She deserves that much, don't you think?" Zelos didn't reply, but Sheena did see his eyes fall further downward. "And for the love of Martel, you both need to _stop running away from the conversation the second you start feeling uncomfortable with it_!"

Zelos rubbed his face, finally breaking his stillness and showing he truly was listening, then lowered his hand and shook his head faintly, his expression still sad and his voice soft, his words reflecting the depths of his hopelessness. "I just...I have no idea what to say. Nothing I say can make this right; nothing can make up for what I did to her. Sheena's right not to trust me or want anything to do with me ever again. I mean, if the whole point behind why I treated her like that, to make her hate me and write me off as a hopeless idiot she wanted nothing to do with, didn't work, then...then that means all I did was hurt her. I can't even fathom how to try making up for that."

The confusion that arose in her mind finally helped her shake off her shock and find her voice again—because she truly had no idea what he was talking about. "I don't understand, Zelos. You treated me like that because _wanted_ me to hate you? You _wanted_ me to have nothing to do with you? Why?"

Without warning, the alternate Zelos's face lit up and he pointed at them again. " _Aha_! That sounds _exactly_ like the start of the conversation you two need to have, so long as you actually _answer her question_. So quit finding excuses to avoid it and just _do it_." The long-haired Zelos looked up at him, then at Sheena, and then finally back down at his hands, nodding faintly. "Good. No more backing out, then. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm gonna be...somewhere else. I've already experienced this conversation once, and I really don't want to go through it again." He took a step toward the door but quickly stopped and pointed again at them both. "And remember, _no more running away._ That goes for _both_ of you. If you try it, I'll just drag you back in here until you've gotten everything out of your systems. Got it?" Zelos didn't nod again, but he did sigh and further lower his head. Sheena, still stunned and confused but also curious and desperate for insight into Zelos's reasoning, nodded faintly. He smiled. "Okay. Then have at it. I'll see you guys in a bit."

Sheena watched him leave, and then, once the door had closed, she turned back to Zelos, who still hadn't moved. Too much of what he'd said still didn't make sense, and she really needed answers. "It's a serious question, and it still stands. If you really did love me once like you claim you did, and like he insists you did, then why would you want me to hate you? Why would you deliberately push me away from you?"

For a long moment Zelos continued sitting silently, staring blankly at the floor, but finally he sighed, his voice falling to a whisper. "Because hate is better than pain."

...Say what? He'd spoken so softly that she wasn't sure she'd heard him right—and even if she _had_ heard him right, she didn't understand his meaning. "...What?"

"Because I refused to get you involved in my life," he went on, his voice unchanged. "Because it wouldn't have been _fair_ of me to get you involved in my life."

And _still_ he wasn't making sense. "And why is that?"

Zelos squeezed his eyes shut, but without warning he opened them, rose to his feet, and began pacing the length of his bed, suddenly agitated. "Sheena, do you have any idea how horrible my life was as the Chosen? Do you have any idea what it meant to _be_ the Chosen?"

Sheena blinked, caught off guard by his abrupt change in demeanor. "Well, no, but I know you nearly betrayed us so you could get rid of the title..."

His footsteps faltered and his expression softened. "Yeah, I did, didn't I?" But just as quickly as he'd stopped, he cleared his throat and resumed pacing. "I was born into a family that despised me. My father wanted nothing to do with me because he'd been forced to have a child with a woman he didn't love to pass on his bloodline; my mother was killed by his mistress so _her_ daughter with him could be the Chosen instead; and with her dying breath, my mother told me, in no uncertain terms, that it would've been better if I hadn't been born. My sister was sent to the abbey to keep her out of the way for fear _she_ would pick up where her mother had left off and try to kill me. I was engaged to a woman I've never even met from the second I was born so _I_ could pass on my bloodline to a successor, and I had no choice in the matter. Everyone in the world wanted to be associated with me because of my power and my title, and yet no one really _liked_ me. Hell, no one wanted to _know_ me—not just the Chosen, _me_. I was worthless; I was a figurehead for the Church, someone everyone wanted to manipulate for their own gain. Women accused me of fathering their children so they could get rich by laying claim to my family's estate. And, the best part, if the situation in Sylvarant ever changed, then I was expected to go out and happily die for people who didn't give a damn about me."

He turned to face her. "My life was pathetic, Sheena. It was a waste of time and space—my own, and everyone else's. It brought with it pain and misery and heartache and death to everyone it touched. I couldn't afford to get emotionally attached to anyone for fear of getting them tangled up in my hellish life. I couldn't afford to let anyone else get emotionally attached to me only to be devastated when I was forced to marry that other woman or when I was summoned to die to 'save the world.' So I did everything I could to prevent that from happening. I didn't get emotionally attached to anyone. I kept everyone at arm's length. I hid who I really was behind the mask of the Chosen One so I could control who everyone thought I was. I flirted with every woman I met, because I could and it was fun, but I didn't let anyone truly fall for me. I couldn't. I couldn't do that to them."

Sheena stared at him, stunned by the spew of words from him—not to mention his sudden anger and irritation and frustration—but she was also still upset because, damn it, her life had sucked, too, and just because he'd been unhappy with how things were for him didn't justify why he'd always treated her like crap. "And yet I was the _only one_ you ever treated like you did, constantly teasing and belittling me. Every other woman you'd flirt with and flatter and treat like a real human being, but me you treated like an annoying, ugly little country girl who wasn't _good enough_ to be your friend."

He pointed at her, his face set but his blue eyes softening. " _Exactly_ , Sheena. You were the _only one_ I ever treated like that—you were the only one I ever _cared_ about enough to do whatever it took to make sure you had nothing to do with my craptastic life. I didn't give a damn about any of those other women so I never _had_ to push them away, but you...you I had no choice. You I needed to push as far away as I could before the life that came with me could destroy you the way it destroyed me and everyone else I cared about." Sheena froze, staring at him wide-eyed, trying to wrap her head around that, but he couldn't hold her gaze long before he turned away again, resuming his pacing. "You were the first person I'd ever met who didn't care that I was the Chosen. You were a real friend to me when we first met—the first real friend I'd ever had. And while I knew better, I couldn't help myself: I grew attached to it. I grew to crave it, that human contact, that emotional connection, that friendship. And then one day it happened: I realized my feelings for you had gone beyond mere friendship and I had fallen for you. Hard. I didn't want to believe it, I tried to ignore it as long as I could, but eventually I couldn't deny it anymore. And so, as much as it killed me, I knew what I had to do: I had to get you out of my life.

"So I pushed you away, the only way I knew how. I figured if I could make you hate me, it would be easier for us both. I'd never have hope for anything more with you, and you'd want nothing to do with me because I was a jerk and a hopeless idiot. I wanted you to walk away and never look back; I wanted to make sure you would never be hurt by being involved with me." He stopped pacing and closed his eyes. "Everything I did to you back then, the teasing, the belittling, the broken friendship...it was supposed to _spare_ you from pain, not hurt you or make you question yourself or your self-image. I'd figured that a woman like you, someone who _was_ so stunningly beautiful, would _know_ you were beautiful and would know better than to listen to an idiot like me and would grow to hate me for being such an ass toward you. I'd figured you were confident enough not to let my stupidity get to you. I didn't...I never thought I'd be feeding your insecurities and reinforcing your view of yourself. If I had, I would've done things differently." His eyes opened again, but instead of looking at her, he turned away, his head sinking downward. "Because whether you recognize it or not, Sheena, you really are a beautiful woman, inside and out. You're the most real woman I've ever known. You've never had to drown yourself in makeup or fancy clothes, like my hunnies do, to be the most sexy, exotic, amazing woman I've ever laid eyes on. You're right, I always used to say that to other women, tell them they were beautiful when I didn't mean it, but you...I really did mean it tonight. I know you have no reason to believe anything I say, but it _is_ the truth."

Sheena remained silent, her lips parted as she continued watching him, and after a moment he sighed, his voice softening as he turned and finally met her eyes, his expression immensely sad...and sincere. "I'm sorry, Sheena. I am _so_ sorry. Everything I did to you back then was inexcusable. After the journey with Lloyd and the gang, I realized all my reasons for pushing you away were finally null and void since I wouldn't have to be the Chosen much longer and I could finally escape that life and be a normal guy. That night of the king's reunification party, when you found me out on the balcony, I'd been starting to reconstruct a new Grand Master Plan for my life, and after you left, I realized I had to start making some major changes if I wanted things to change, especially when it came to my sister...and to you. I'd hoped to ask you out after that, to start trying to make up to you for everything I'd done, but then you resigned as the king's emissary, and...well, I was a coward and kept putting it off. By the time I'd worked up the courage to get off my ass and do something about it, it was too late and you were already engaged to Orochi. And after I learned that...well, you already know how badly I messed up after that."

She was stunned. Her brain was racing over everything he was saying, trying to put together all the pieces of what she remembered happening with the pieces he was revealing to her now, and yet it was completely blank when it came to her own thoughts and feelings on the matter. "I...I don't know what to say."

Zelos shook his head. "Then don't say anything. I know how pathetic I am, how many horrible decisions I've made that have brought you nothing but pain, but I don't want your pity. I don't deserve your forgiveness or your trust, so I'm not even going to ask for it. But that other 'me' was right: it may be years too late now, but you still deserved to hear the truth. And you need to know how truly sorry I am, for every single thing I did to you. If I could do it all over again, I would, in a heartbeat. I still wouldn't want you involved in my life for fear of what could've happened to you, or what the Church might've done to you, but I wouldn't have gone about it the way I did. Not if it meant hurting you again."

Sheena swallowed hard, still struggling to grasp not only his words but all of the implications that came with them. So if she hadn't left that night at the king's party, if she'd been patient with him and given him an opportunity to tell her all of this then...their lives would've been completely realigned to something far different than the current reality. It would have resulted in their happiness, in their starting a life and a family together in Mizuho, in Mizuho still being a thriving village, in Giannovio being removed as the Foreign Minister, in her becoming chief and him becoming chief consort, in Orochi and Grandpa and everyone in Mizuho still being alive...everything would be different. _Everything._ Everything would be a thousand times better.

Her head might still be floundering trying to wrap itself around this, but one thing was now painfully, devastatingly clear to her—a realization that made her chest ache and her heart yearn and her stomach churn. And suddenly she couldn't stop herself from whispering it aloud. "So all this time...that really could've been us."

Zelos's face twisted in something she could only identify as unbearable guilt and anguish, and he squeezed his eyes shut, looking like he was desperately fighting back tears. "I know," he whispered, his voice cracking, making her heart hurt even worse. Never before had she seen him like this, so dejected and sad and _lost_. "Believe me, I know. If I'd been less of a mess and a failure of a man, those two might have been us." She looked up at him, but he could only meet her eyes the briefest of moments before looking down again and clearing his throat. "Sheena, I just want you to know that there is nothing in my life that I regret more than everything I did to you. I am so sorry, for all of it. You deserve so much more than this...you deserve so much better than someone as worthless and hopeless and messed up as me." And then, to her surprise, he suddenly looked up at her, walked toward her, and tenderly kissed her cheek, his lips lingering there a moment...and Sheena let him. "I truly hope one day you find the love and happiness you deserve."

Before she could think to respond, he was turning and heading out of the room. It was only then that she realized her body was trembling, her mind was racing uncontrollably, her heart was pounding, and her cheek was tingling where the ghost of his kiss lingered on it; she was a gigantic bundle of tumultuous, confused, erratic, chaotic emotions. Making her way to his bed, she sank down onto the soft comforter where he'd been sitting just a few minutes ago, afraid her legs would give out without its support, and then she tried, desperately, to regain control over her thoughts and emotions so she could figure out what this all meant, what she truly wanted, and what she was supposed to do now.

0~*~0

Zelos was feeling utterly shell-shocked, shaky, and exhausted as he climbed down the stairs in his mansion. He didn't want to think about what had just happened; he didn't want to think about everything Sheena had just said; he didn't want to think about everything _he_ had just said.

" _So all this time...that really could've been us_."

His heart couldn't take it; the profound sadness in her voice as she'd spoken those words, echoing of a loss they'd experienced long ago but only now could see, matched the desperate ache within him that was threatening to overwhelm him if he stopped to think about it. He wandered aimlessly for a moment, unsure where to go or what to do, his brain repeating those devastating words over and over again in his mind, threatening to drive him insane, until he noticed his doppelganger sitting in the dining room, waiting. Well, as much as he didn't want to think about everything that had happened, and as despairingly decimated and horrible and guilty and disgusted as he felt with himself, right now he _could_ use the friendly support he was sure to get from a man who had been through many of the same things he had. And that meant sucking it up, talking to him, and hoping he recognized that Zelos was currently in no condition for a deep heart-to-heart between two idiot ex-Chosens and went easy on him.

The other 'him' looked up as Zelos stumbled into the room, pulled out a chair, and, with a weary sigh, sat down heavily onto it. "You look like crap," his alternate commented.

"Funny. I _feel_ like crap." Zelos tilted his head, reconsidering that. "I take that back. What I _really_ feel like is the worst human being to ever walk the face of the earth."

The face that looked exactly like his own smirked. "Yeah, believe me, I know that feeling very, very well." He eyed Zelos a moment, then he stood up, headed to the cabinet, grabbed a bottle of Scotch and a glass, and poured him one. "Here, have a drink."

Zelos gratefully accepted it as he passed it across the table. "Thanks."

"Just not _too_ much because I expect Sheena will be down here soon, and trust me, it'll be better for everyone if you aren't inebriated when that happens," he replied, sitting down again.

Zelos snorted and took a sip. "Yeah...I doubt that. In fact, I doubt she'll ever willingly speak to me again after that."

His alternate arched an eyebrow. "I take it you told her?"

He nodded. "Yep."

"Everything?"

"Enough."

"Good. Then I think ten, maybe fifteen minutes is all you have before you have to face her again." Zelos's hand froze mid-sip and he looked at him disbelievingly, but his alternate just shrugged. "Seriously. Trust me. She'll be here. This isn't over yet."

"If you say so," Zelos muttered, resuming his sip. "If I were her, _I_ sure wouldn't be eager to talk to me again."

"Yeah, well, that's the difference between you two," the other 'him' replied with a grin. "Just wait; you'll see for yourself soon enough."

Zelos quickly finished off his drink and set down the glass, reaching for the bottle on the table and pouring himself another one. Right now he needed its help dealing with all this unwanted guilt and despair and self-loathing. "Y'know," he began again, leaning back in his seat, "I truly never meant to hurt her like that. And I'm not just talking about that fiasco when she married Orochi; I mean before that."

His alternate nodded somberly as he got up, headed back to the counter, grabbed another glass, and then sat down again, grabbing the bottle and likewise pouring himself a drink. "I know. Neither did I. But whether you meant for it to happen or not, it _did_ happen; your interpretation of her reactions to everything you did to her was wrong. That isn't something you can change. Once you know the truth, it isn't even something you can run from anymore. Take it from me, running doesn't resolve anything; all it does is put off the inevitable, and usually it makes it worse to deal with later than if you'd just dealt with it right away. Only being brave and facing the situation head-on has any chance of fixing anything."

"Yeah, I think I'm getting that picture," Zelos murmured, taking another sip.

He considered his alternate's words a moment, unsuccessfully trying to put everything he now knew into perspective, but then his eyes fell on his doppelganger's wedding ring as he lifted his glass to take a drink and sudden confusion overwhelmed him again. Knowing now how his teasing had always made Sheena feel, and knowing that this guy had done the same to her in his world, how could she ever, _ever,_ have agreed to _marry_ him, in _any_ universe? What was more, though, he realized he had an unprecedented chance to ask that question and maybe even get not only an answer, but some tips from someone who had been through something similar. If this guy had made it through that nightmare in one piece, maybe there was hope for him yet.

He motioned at his alternate's ring. "So how did you and your wife get past this? How did you even _live_ with yourself knowing what you'd done to her?"

The other 'him' sighed and set down his glass. "Truthfully? It was hard— _extremely_ hard. Learning how badly I'd hurt her, no matter how much I'd believed my actions justified, nearly killed me. After the truth came out, I spent months waiting for her to realize she wanted nothing to do with me and booted me from her life for good. Until that day came, though, I told myself I refused to run away again and that I'd do whatever I could to make it up to her, because that's what she deserved. After all, pushing her away would've just hurt her again, and that simply wasn't an option. So I vowed to use every day she gave me to love her like she deserved and keep her from regretting giving me a second chance." He shrugged. "Something I did must've worked. Well, that or, more likely, I didn't do anything." He paused, considering that. "No, now that I think about it, it really was all Sheena's doing. Never underestimate her, how amazing she is, or her capacity for love and forgiveness. She gave me an unexpected, unwarranted chance, made me want to do better, to _be_ better, and I took it. It helped me become the man I am now. After years of hating myself and wishing I'd never been born, she helped me find the man I'd always wanted to be, someone who actually likes himself, trusts himself, and was able to forgive himself." He gave Zelos a pointed look. "Sheena is an incredible woman. Give her your time, give her your heart, give her your trust and your honesty, and you won't regret it."

Zelos shook his head. As nice as that sounded, he was pretty sure it was impossible. While his alternate might have managed that, he and his wife hadn't had nearly as much baggage to deal with that Zelos and 'his' Sheena did. "I don't know that I can."

"Eh, like I said before, don't think so hard that you talk yourself out of seeing this through, because I know how easy that would be to do. I nearly did it myself a few times. Honestly, you just need to _do it_ , see it through to whatever end may come of it, and let life take you where it will." He quirked a smile and took a sip of his drink. "It probably wouldn't hurt if you gave her that gift you'd gotten her all those years ago, either."

Yeah, right. At this point, what good would that do anyone? "Sorry, but I really think it's too late for that to have any impact now."

His alternate's eyes narrowed. "Oh, I wouldn't be so sure about that. With Sheena, it's _never_ too late for something like that."

Agh, how was this guy _so damn confident_ about this, about _her_ , about _them_? Zelos eyed him a moment, but then he sighed and waved that off, the frustration seeping out of him. After his conversation with Sheena, he was too exhausted to argue right now. "Whatever. I'll think about it. But you're assuming she'll even _give_ me a second chance. Just because she gave you one doesn't mean she'll do the same here. It's not like I deserve it."

"Maybe; maybe not. Whatever she decides, though, you'll see for yourself soon enough." Without warning, he looked up at something behind Zelos's back and smiled warmly. "Hey."

"Hi." Zelos froze, his eyes widening. Oh, _crap._ It was _her._ How had his alternate guessed right that she would be here this soon? _He_ sure hadn't expected this; he'd expected her to sneak out of the house and wash her hands of him for good. He didn't turn to look at her, but he did lower his half-empty glass to the table. "Um, could you give us a minute alone?"

And just like that, disappointment swept over him. She was undoubtedly directing that at _him,_ saying she wanted to talk to his alternate for a bit and he wasn't invited to stay. Well, no need to make her wait. He pushed his chair back and made to stand, keeping his eyes focused anywhere but on her. "Sure."

Before he could take a single step, though, Sheena stepped forward, grabbed his arm with surprising gentleness, and shook her head, her voice soft. "Actually, Zelos, you were the one I wanted to talk to."

His eyes widened again as, that time, he met her gaze. Uh oh. So much for escaping this. He couldn't read her expression, but he also couldn't deny her. For the life of him, he was terrified of what she wanted to say to him, and he could feel the first inklings of panic building within him at having to hear it, but whatever it was—the inevitable rejection, the crushing of the last inkling of hope he still had, or anything else—he had no choice but to hear it out. He observed her a moment, then sat back down as she released his arm. "Oh."

His alternate, on the other hand, smiled and rose to his feet, leaving his glass on the table and heading toward the door. "Yeah, of course. Take whatever time you need." Zelos saw him squeeze Sheena's shoulder encouragingly as he walked past her, and then he was gone. She watched him leave before sitting down in the chair kitty corner from Zelos's. And for the life of him, all Zelos could do was watch her warily, still having no idea what she was planning to say, his heart pounding and his stomach roiling as she fell silent, looking down at her hands.

After a long moment, she took a deep breath and lifted her eyes to his, her face still indecipherable. "I don't forgive you yet. I don't trust you yet not to do anything like that to me again, either. That's going to take me time...assuming it happens at all."

His heart hit rock bottom, and suddenly he couldn't bear to hear the words he was sure would be coming out of her mouth. He never should've let his alternate give him hope, because there never had been any. "I get it, Sheena," he quickly cut her off. "Like I said, this whole thing was a bad idea."

But to his surprise, she frowned and shook her head. "Zelos, let me finish. Please."

...Oh. Damn. She was determined to make him hear this, wasn't she? And really, he deserved it. After what he'd done to her, it was only fitting that he face her head on while she ripped his heart out and tore it apart. "Sorry," he mumbled, his head sinking downward.

It took her a moment to start up again, emphasizing how dumb it had been to interrupt her. He just couldn't control himself when it came to such uncomfortable emotions, it seemed. "I may not forgive you yet, but...I do think I'm starting to understand you and why you made the choices you did."

Zelos shook his head. "Sheena, none of my pathetic reasons could ever justify hurting you like I did."

"No...maybe...I don't know," she admitted. "I need to know more, to see more of the real you, before I'm willing to say one way or the other. But the other version of you is right: I have to take a chance sometime, just make a decision and see it through, or else nothing will ever change." She took a deep breath and lifted her head a little. "And that's why I've decided I want a do-over."

...Wait, what? Zelos's eyes widened and snapped up to hers. "A _what_?"

He had to admit, the bright red blush gracing her cheeks was adorable; it was obvious she wasn't used to being this forward with anyone. "A do-over. I...I want us to go out on another date and give this another try, one that will hopefully make up for how badly I wrecked tonight's."

...She wanted to go out on another _date?_ He had to be dreaming. It wasn't possible, and he couldn't comprehend that this really seemed to be happening. But there was one thing she'd just said that he did know for certain—something he _could not_ let her believe. He shook his head. "Sheena, you didn't wreck tonight. You were right to walk away. I've said and done a lot of dumb things over the years, especially when it comes to you, and I deserve to be called out on them. I deserve a lot worse than that, actually."

"I'm not denying that, but I _did_ ultimately wreck tonight," she said, lowering her eyes to the table. "I didn't give you a real chance, and I should have. I know you think you're entirely responsible for our...er... _fallout_ all those years ago, but you're not. I'm to blame for a lot of what happened between us, too. I only saw what was on the surface when it came to you, Zelos, and I never dug to see if there was more to you or to the reasoning behind your actions, despite the voice always there in the back of my mind, telling me I was wrong about you."

"I wouldn't have let you dig any deeper," he said, his voice falling further. He felt like he had swallowed a lead pipe.

Sheena arched an eyebrow. "And what makes you think you could've stopped me? No, Zelos, I could've dug a lot harder and deeper with you than I did. Obviously I did in that mirror world, and look where it got us. But I didn't here; you may have cracked some dumb jokes that night at the king's party, trying to push me away, but _I_ was the one who _did_ walk away. I accepted what I saw without questioning it like I should have, because doing nothing was easier than pushing the issue. I mean, after our friendship fell apart the first time, back in school, I always knew something wasn't right with you, because the man you turned into bore no resemblance to the one I'd always known, and I knew something had to be wrong to have caused it, but I was too afraid to find out the truth. I did the same when it fell apart the last time, when I married Orochi. I've done that a lot with you...and that was wrong of me. It's not fair to you that I've always believed the worst about you rather than holding onto the man I knew you were when we first met. You were always my friend, first and foremost, and I shouldn't have forgotten that. I hurt you, too, by not caring about you the way I should have, for not seeing how much more there is to you. I saw what I expected, what you wanted me to see, instead of what was really there. And for that, _I'm_ sorry. There's a lot more to you than I've ever let myself see before. I want to give it a real chance and see where it goes. I want to get to know the real you, the man who pushed me away because of how much he loved me." To his surprise, she grasped his hand and squeezed it. "So please, Zelos, let's give this date another try. Tomorrow night, dinner. And this time I promise I won't run away."

Oh, Martel, that was exactly what his heart wanted to hear. He could feel his hope rising that maybe he _did_ still have a chance to make everything up to her. But the guilt was still too powerful, gnawing at him and telling him to get the hell away from her before he could hurt her again, and his cowardice made him reluctant to take another chance. "It wouldn't change anything, you know," he murmured.

"Maybe, maybe not," she acknowledged. "All I know is that I've made more than enough assumptions about you that have proven to be wrong, and I refuse to make any more." She paused, clearly waiting for him to respond, but when he didn't, she sighed. "Look, if it doesn't work out after we've given this a _real_ shot, after we've talked it all over, then we'll both walk away and never look back. But we'll never know unless we try. I _want_ to try."

Agh, he was so, _so_ torn. Part of him wanted to run away again and go back to his normal, empty life that he deserved, a place where he didn't have to worry about hurting her and she could find something, _someone_ , that _she_ deserved and that would make her happy. The other part of him desperately wanted to agree to her request, to see what might come of another date and maybe even try to attain the happiness they had found together in another life. And for the life of him, he had no idea which side to go with. "I don't want to hurt you again, Sheena. And you know how good I am at doing that."

Zelos could see her swallow hard, visibly fighting back tears. "I may not trust you yet, Zelos, but I truly don't believe you'd do that again."

"Then you're a fool," he whispered, but there was no venom in his voice.

"No, I'm not," she replied. "Well, yes, I am, about a lot things, but not about this. In fact, I've probably seen more of what you're capable of than you have thanks to the time I've spent with the other 'you,' and I know you won't do it again. That much I do trust about you. If I'm wrong, I'm wrong, but I'm willing to take that chance."

He released a low sigh. He didn't remember her ever being this persistent. Why wasn't she running away again? Had she really changed that much? "This is a really bad idea, Sheena."

She squeezed her eyes shut in what looked, incredibly, like _pain_ , of all things. " _Please_ , Zelos."

Damn it, she wasn't giving up, was she? It amazed him that she was fighting so hard over _him._ But he shook his head, refusing to give in to the part of him that was eager to jump on this opportunity. "Sheena, I'm a huge mess," he pleaded, trying desperately to change her mind before he did something he'd regret. "I'm a broken man. I can't do anything right. You deserve so much more, so much _better,_ than me."

"You're not the only one who's messed up and broken, Zelos," she countered. "I am, too. More than you could possibly know. That's why I think we should give what your alternate suggested a shot and work together to try to fix that broken mirror. If we can't, we can't, and we'll throw it away. But if we can...we've had a glimpse of what could be because of him. The least we can do is try to figure out if we even _want_ to give this a shot. I just..." She frowned as if frustrated over her inability to find the words to express herself. "I don't want to spend the rest of my life wondering what might have been without even trying. Do you?"

Of course he didn't. If he never saw her again, he would probably spend the rest of his life wondering what might have happened if he'd chosen to see this through. And while he deserved to beat himself up over all of that day in and day out, she was implying that she would experience the same if he turned her down. And he couldn't have that. She deserved better than to have to live with such regret. "...No."

Sheena gave him a faint, tentative smile and squeezed his hand again. "So please, Zelos. Tomorrow night. Let's give it one last try. I won't run away again, no matter what. I promise."

Oh, heaven help him, he really was a hopeless fool, wasn't he? Was he actually about to let his longing for something better, for a happy, meaningful life, convince him he could conveniently forget that this, what she wanted, was something he knew would be yet another complete disaster, just as bad—if not worse—than tonight had been?

And one look at her pleading, beautiful face, and at her warm, hopeful brown eyes, and Zelos knew his answer. Yes, he was.

He released another low sigh. "...Fine. I won't run away this time, either."

Her smile broadened. "Thank you."

Zelos pulled his hand from hers and pointed at her sharply. "For the record, though, I still think this is a bad idea that's only going to be a waste of time and lead to disaster." _And broken hearts_ , his mind silently added, especially if he let himself get his hopes up only to have to face the inevitable crash once she really did reject him...just like he deserved.

"I guess we'll see, won't we?" she murmured. The two observed each other another moment, but then Sheena—making it clear that, despite her unexpected conviction to see this through, she still wasn't entirely comfortable with this situation herself—quickly looked away and rose to her feet. "Anyway, I'm heading back to Mizuho. There are some things I need to take care of there tomorrow. And then...late afternoon I'll meet you here again. Say, four o'clock?"

He nodded. "Sure."

"Then I'll see you then."

"Yeah."

Sheena eyed him another moment, then she headed out of the dining room. Zelos could hear her talking quietly with his alternate, their words a soft murmur, and then a few minutes later he heard the front door close, but he didn't get up to see them off. Instead he grabbed his half-full drink, downed the rest of it, and leaned back in his chair, wondering what the hell he had just agreed to and if he—not to mention his oh-so-hopeful heart—would be able to survive what was yet to come in one piece.

0~*~0


	8. Day 6: The Do-Over

**Day 6: The Do-Over**

The forest seemed endless as they walked through it toward a destination only Zelos knew. Sheena was enjoying the walk itself—whether it was just who she was or because she was a ninja trained to 'be one with nature,' she really did love being outdoors, especially soothing, fragrant forests like this—but she had a strong hunch her date was not. Ever since she'd showed up at his mansion with his alternate an hour ago, he had been acting extremely quiet, subdued, and guarded toward her _._ His alternate had warned her that 'her' version of him might act oddly toward her for awhile and that she shouldn't take it personally, but that was easier said than done when he'd barely looked at her since they'd left Meltokio, let alone _talked_ to her. But again she reminded herself that she couldn't let herself jump to conclusions about him—in this case, that Zelos really didn't want to be there with her—and instead she would wait and see what happened once they reached their destination, letting her mind instead play over the things his alternate had told her earlier.

He hadn't been at all surprised when she'd told him she had pushed 'her' Zelos for another date. In fact, he'd seemed even less surprised about it than she still felt herself knowing she'd actually made and carried out such an uncharacteristic decision. Instead he'd just insisted that 'his' Sheena had basically done something similar when they'd started dating. That knowledge, that 'she' had made the same choice in the alternate world, had actually gone a long way toward easing her mind about her decision, seeing as it meant she might be on the right track after all. She hadn't been quite sure what she'd been doing last night, but her view of Zelos Wilder and his choices and actions had changed drastically after everything he'd told her, and she'd refused to let it end there. This had seemed the most logical choice, to try to learn more about the 'real him'—and hopefully share some things with him about herself, too—and she was still determined to see it through.

Granted, the alternate Zelos had also reminded her, with surprising somberness, that despite everything he'd said, just because he and his wife were happy didn't mean she and 'her' Zelos _had_ to make this work. And as much as she had come to realize she wanted everything her alternate had, Sheena had to acknowledge he had a point. Here, she had married another man, and Zelos had reacted extremely poorly to it; that hadn't happened in that alternate world. That meant they had other major obstacles to get past, and they had no guarantee they could. And it had also been _six years_ since all of that had happened _._ Maybe the time for reaching that coveted point where their alternates were had long since past and the same couldn't happen here; based on the way he was currently acting, Sheena couldn't dismiss the possibility that Zelos didn't feel the same way about her that he once had. Maybe he didn't love her anymore, and maybe he never could again. But while Sheena acknowledged that and took his alternate's warning for what it was, it still hadn't changed her mind about giving this 'do-over date' a try.

And even after pondering everything that day while working in Mizuho, wondering if she really wanted to do this again, she still hadn't changed her mind, no matter how nervous she currently felt, how much she wondered what she was getting herself into, or how quiet Zelos currently was. But despite his aloof attitude, he hadn't turned her away when she'd knocked on his door, and he hadn't suggested they call it off, and she chose to take that as a good sign. In fact, part of her thought it looked more like he was afraid. Of what, she had no idea—of saying or doing something wrong? Of being hurt or rejected? Of hurting her again? Of _her_?—but the more she noticed how tense his body was, the more she knew she was right about that. Well, that and he most likely still felt guilty, maybe even sad.

His solemn behavior was so un-Zelos like that it was unnerving, and it made Sheena wonder how long he'd had been like this, so... _unhappy_. It was like he'd lost all his life and fire and drive and boisterousness and playfulness. Had he been like this ever since she'd married Orochi? Or had it only been the past few days since they'd run into each other again? She didn't know, but it amazed her to realize how much she didn't like seeing him like this, how much she _wanted_ to see him happy, maybe because she'd seen, through his alternate, how beautiful he was when he _was_ truly happy. She also didn't know how she could help him relax, especially if he still felt as awful about everything he'd done to her as his alternate implied he did, but one thing she did know was that if she couldn't manage to change his mood, then this date was over before it could even start. She just had to keep reminding herself that she'd chosen to be here with him, to take this chance and see if anything might come of it, and that she was determined to see this through and try to learn more about who the man really was.

Rather than taking her back to the restaurant, Zelos had suggested they try a picnic away from Meltokio, and Sheena, relieved to not have to deal with any more of his hunnies, eagerly agreed. Sebastian had made them an impressive array of food, and so once the alternate Zelos had seen them off, surprisingly _not_ trying to give them any last-minute advice, with Sheena carrying the blanket and Zelos carrying the basket, they'd made their way out of Meltokio into this nearby forest. The length of time they'd been walking so far was confusing her, but every time she asked where they were going and how much longer before they reached it, Zelos didn't have much to say except, "We'll be there soon."

And eventually, as promised, they did reach what appeared to be the perfect spot for a picnic: a small clearing atop a cliff overlooking the ocean. It was a beautiful sight that took her breath away. Sheena tried to express her awe and appreciation that he'd chosen this spot to bring her, but Zelos only replied that he was glad she liked it...a surprisingly curt response that curtailed her excitement.

They set up their picnic site—with Zelos still barely talking except to make an occasional suggestion about how to arrange things—and began eating. Again, Sheena went out of her way—and out of her comfort zone—to make small talk about how good the food was and try to perk him up, but he just kept brushing her attempts aside with one- or two-word answers. And suddenly Sheena found herself wondering if this really _had_ been a good idea. It was painfully obvious he didn't want to be there, and while she'd thought—hoped—that his attitude might change once they'd reached their destination, clearly she'd been wrong. Maybe he wanted her to have a bad time tonight so she would declare this 'thing' between them, whatever it was, to be over for good? He had said he thought this was a 'bad idea' and that he 'didn't want to hurt her' again; maybe this was his way of making sure 'they' didn't go anywhere so he _couldn't_ hurt her again? Maybe this was his latest way of pushing her away so she went looking for someone 'better' than him? Sheena wasn't sure yet, but she refused to admit defeat. She'd seen too much of what Zelos Wilder was truly capable of thanks to the other 'him,' and she _would not_ give up until she was sure it wasn't possible for this man to achieve the same.

Now, if only she knew how to begin addressing the many issues they had to work out—issues that might, if they were resolved, get him to begin feeling more comfortable with her.

Sheena was still struggling to figure out how to broach those many issues when they both finished eating. It was only then that Zelos cleared his throat, folded his arms to his chest, and leaned back against a tree trunk, his voice a flat whisper as he spoke. "What are we doing here, Sheena?"

While she was grateful he'd made the first move, even though after how he'd been acting she'd figured it was up to her to do so, she wasn't sure how to answer. Finishing the last bite of her cookie, she tentatively peered up at him. Heaven knew she had a hundred reasons for being here right now, most of which were very serious, but the expression on his face—of someone resigned to a fate he was dreading—made her want to lighten the mood a bit before she delved into that. Seeing him like this was so _wrong_ that she was afraid she'd never get anywhere unless she could get him to relax. While she knew how unlike her this was, she couldn't help herself; despite his reclusive mood, she refused to give up all sense of courage and hope. This was their last chance to fix anything, and so if she really wanted this to work, she had to _make it work_. And that meant making him more receptive to what she had to say. Hopefully this would do the trick.

She chuckled softly, shyly. "I was actually going to ask _you_ that, what possessed you to bring us all the way out here into the wilderness. But then I figured you picked this spot because you knew I wouldn't be able to run off on you again. It worked, too, since I have no idea how to get back to Meltokio."

To her relief, her tactic worked, at least a little, since he cracked half a smile. "Yeah, well, that goes both ways since it guarantees _I_ can't run away this time, either."

She arched an eyebrow. "Were you thinking of doing that?"

"I have to admit, it is tempting."

"Yeah, tell me about it," she mumbled, looking down at her hands and picking at a jagged edge on her thumbnail.

He eyed her a moment but then shrugged. "Of course, if I ran away, I'd just have to face that half a spider figurine in my mansion again, reprimanding me for being a coward and doing what I swore I wouldn't do."

...Oh, right, that creepy spider they'd received during the journey with Lloyd. She still had the other half of it sitting on a shelf in her living room. She hadn't thought about it in ages, but it was always there, reminding her of that moment she'd decided to stop running and scolding her every time she failed. She hadn't realized he'd kept his half; she'd figured he would've thrown it away years ago. It was telling that he hadn't. "Yeah, I know that feeling, too," she whispered.

Zelos fell silent again, his gaze falling to his knees, any trace of his earlier smile gone. After a moment, he cleared his throat and looked up at her again, his blue eyes still guarded. "Seriously, Sheena. Why are we here? I still think we have way too much baggage to ever be able to make something work between us. _They_ might have made it past all of their issues, but we stopped being them years ago. That other 'me' didn't do half of the crap to his wife that I did to you. You said it yourself: you can't forgive me. And honestly, I can't forgive myself. All things considered, I just...I'm having trouble seeing any hope for us."

Sheena quickly shook her head and gave him a pointed look. While part of her shared in his doubts, especially after his alternate had issued that warning earlier, she couldn't entertain it, not yet, not until she'd exhausted all of her options. And this was something he _needed_ to know; she couldn't let him keep thinking that. " _Yet,_ Zelos. I said I couldn't forgive you _yet._ That doesn't mean I won't ever be able to. And as for there not being any hope for us...well, I refuse to believe that. I _refuse_. Not without seeing for myself if there really is or not."

He arched an eyebrow, but no smile or amusement lit his face to match his words. "Well, well, aren't _you_ unexpectedly confident about this?"

Was she? Sheena felt herself blush, and she let out a soft laugh, her eyes falling downward again. "No, not really. Honestly, I'm just as uncertain about this as you are. I mean, even now, whenever I look at you, I can't decide if I want to hug you or hit you." But he needed to know this, too, so she forced herself to meet his eyes again. "But I refuse to give up without putting up a fight."

He watched her a moment thoughtfully. "You've changed. There was a day and age when you would've eagerly latched onto any reason you could find to have nothing to do with me. And you certainly never would've just _admitted_ that to me." Her face grew even warmer, but before she could counter that, either by dismissing it, as her pride wanted her to, or explaining her reasoning, he went on, "And yet...you're exactly the same as I remember, too. You're still a stubborn fighter, aren't you?"

She smiled faintly. "To the end."

"Good," he replied. "Don't ever change that. That's one of the things I've always loved most about you."

Her blush deepened further at his use of the word 'love,' and suddenly she found herself tempted to tell him that _he_ had certainly changed. He was more mature now, less shallow and flighty than she remembered, and yet he was clearly more insecure and unhappy than he had been back then. Unless...unless that had _always_ been true about him and she just hadn't seen it. That thought made her heart sink. After everything he'd said last night, calling himself 'pathetic' and 'worthless' and 'hopeless' and saying his life was a 'waste of time and space,' it wouldn't surprise her; those sounded like things he'd always thought about himself and had hidden behind 'the mask of the Chosen One,' not just an impulsive response to her telling him how he'd always made her feel. And if that was true, that he'd _always_ viewed himself like that, and she'd missed it all these years...well, then _she_ owed it to _him_ to find out if it was true, see if he still felt that way, and, if so, help him get past that.

But she had a hunch he wouldn't be happy to hear such things right now, and before she could decide what to say, he went on, more insistently than before, "No, seriously, Sheena, why? Why did you insist on this 'do-over date'?"

Okay, so he clearly wouldn't give up until she'd answered that, would he? Saying things like this to anyone was _weird_ , let alone to _Zelos Wilder_ , a man around whom she had always had to watch every word she said for fear he would twist it to make fun of her. But here again she had to take a chance, step outside her comfort zone, and be honest with him, and fortunately, thanks to his alternate and the truths he'd lured out of her simply by being there and prodding her when she'd needed it most, she thought she might be getting the hang of it. Besides, she reminded herself, she couldn't see him using her words against her when he was in such a serious, somber mood. And really, this _was_ why she'd brought him here in the first place, wasn't it? To be brave, take a chance, and tell him these things in hopes it might help them understand each other better and move them toward a future where they might be able to work together to fix their issues? She doubted she would get another opportunity as perfect as this to lay it all out there for him, and so she had to quit thinking and _take it_.

"Honestly?" she began, meeting his eyes. "I did it because you told me a whole lot of secrets about yourself last night, things I'm sure were extremely difficult for you to admit. Now I owe you the same."

Instantly, he stiffened, his blue eyes growing duller and more distant. "If that's the only reason we're here, then we can pack up and go back to Meltokio right now. You owe me _nothing_ , Sheena. I'm serious about that. In fact, I owe you so much that I could spend the rest of my life trying to make it all up to you and still never make a dent."

One look at his face told her she wouldn't be able to change his mind no matter what she said, and so, since she really didn't feel like fighting with him right now—and really, she noted, how weird was it that he had yet to do anything that made her _want_ to smack him? _No, no, Sheena,_ _ **focus**_ —she wasn't _going_ to fight him. After all, if she really wanted to, she could argue again now, as she had last night, that she was as much to blame for this fiasco as he was. But she wouldn't. She had other things to address first far more than that.

"Okay, fine," she said. "Then I'm not here because I owe you anything; I'm here because there are things I need to tell you about myself...things you deserve to know. You told me your story last night, or at least part of it, and now I want to tell you mine." She arched an eyebrow. "Is _that_ okay?"

He considered that a moment before leaning back again, nodding faintly. "Just so long as you're not just telling me because you think you _have_ to."

Sheena shook her head. "I'm not. I really do want you to know these things about me."

"Okay."

Taking a deep breath, her heart pounding faster knowing it was finally time to do this, she mentally ticked off all the things she'd realized she needed—no, _wanted_ —him to know, and then began. "You were right about everything you said about me and Orochi all those years ago. I never loved him, and I never should've married him, and the fact that I did is a choice I'll regret for the rest of my life."

Zelos's face twisted in pain and guilt, the same expression she'd seen last night after she'd vocalized her devastating realization that this man really was the same as the Zelos from the alternate world and that that alternate life they had together could've been theirs had a single event played out differently. "Sheena, I am so, _so_ —"

"No, don't apologize again," Sheena cut him off. As much as she appreciated his apology, her heart couldn't stand to hear his voice break again right now. And besides... "You've already done that, multiple times. If you keep it up, I'll think you've been hanging around Colette too much." She realized too late, as he cringed and looked away from her, that she shouldn't have said that; she knew very well that he hadn't seen Colette in years and that he likely felt horrible about that. Needing to change the subject, she cleared her throat. "What did your alternate tell you about Orochi and why I married him?"

He eyed her a moment sadly before looking down at his knees. "He said you needed something called a...chief consort?...before you could become chief, and that's why you married him."

Sheena nodded. Good, at least he knew that much. "It's a requirement in Mizuho that a new chief be married before they accept the role so they have someone they trust with them to help lead the village. Basically, the chief's spouse takes on half of his or her duties. The role is called the chief consort. My grandfather wanted me to become chief, and that meant I had to find a suitable spouse to be my chief consort. Orochi...Orochi was the only option I thought I had at the time, and so I took it. I was never happy about it, because like you constantly pointed out—and rightly so—I didn't love him, but I liked him well enough, and I knew he loved me and would be a good husband and co-leader, and...well, I hoped, in time, that I would grow to love him." Her gaze lowered to her hands and her voice fell to a whisper. "And maybe in time I would have. I'll never know now."

"What happened to him?" Zelos asked, watching her carefully again.

Words couldn't express how much she hated talking about this, but she'd already determined that this, too, was something he needed to know, and so she wouldn't run from it. "He...he gave his life to save me. When Mizuho was poisoned, Orochi and I had to go to Latheon Gorge to get one of the ingredients for the antidote. While we were there, we were attacked by some plantixes. One came after me, and he pushed me out of the way, saving my life, but in the process he was killed." Sheena swallowed, quickly losing the battle against her tears. But she refused to let that stop her from admitting this. "I never loved him, but he loved me so much that he died for me. And I've never forgiven myself for it, for costing him his life when I can't be sure I would've done the same for him."

She blinked deliberately, trying again to push back her tears, then, once she had, she looked up at Zelos, finding his lips parted and his eyes wide with horror. She needed to get this across to him. "Like I said, Zelos, you're not the only one here who's broken. Since he died, I've been terrified of letting something like that happen again, of being loved by someone so much only to feel nothing for them in return. I've been terrified of using and then hurting anyone else the way I used and hurt him. I've been...I've been terrified that I wasn't capable of truly loving someone. And I was too scared to even _try_ for fear I'd just confirm that fear. I swore I'd never lead anyone on again unless I thought there was real hope for something more...that there was hope I could love them the way they deserved to be loved. And ever since that day, that fear has paralyzed me, preventing me from keeping my eyes open and seeing what was in front of me for what it really was." She met his eyes, needing him to know—and, more importantly, to _believe_ —this. "That's not because of _you_ , Zelos, because of anything you said or did. That was because of _me_ , because of all the bad choices I made."

"That you were _forced_ to make," he pointed out.

She shook her head. "That's not entirely true. I could've prevented it. I could've turned down Orochi and asked my grandfather for more time to find a spouse. I could've talked to our friends, explained the situation, asked if they thought I was making a mistake, and tried to find a better option. I could've told Orochi the truth, that I felt nothing for him and likely never would, and given him the chance to decline. I could've...I could've seen everything you said and did for what it really was." _The words and actions of a man who loved me more than I ever would've guessed trying to prevent me from making a terrible mistake that I would—and will—regret the rest of my life_. "But I didn't do any of that, and now I have to live with the choices I made and with all the guilt and regret that came with them. You may have been a jerk about it, Zelos, but that doesn't mean you weren't right. And for trying to stop me and spare me from that pain, even if it didn't work...thank you."

Zelos didn't respond; he just looked down at his knees again, his expression once again twisted with anguish and guilt, most likely thinking she had no right to be saying that to him. Sheena felt her tears building again, that time over all the unnecessary pain they had both inflicted on themselves, but again she took a deep breath, fighting them back. There was more she had to say before she could let herself cry.

"In any case, for years I've believed that, that I was incapable of truly loving someone the way they deserved, and I was too afraid to try to change it, to see if I was right. And then...the other 'you' showed up here."

He blinked once, then twice, then his eyes snapped up to hers, widening with recognition. "You fell for him," he whispered.

Sheena shook her head. "No, I didn't. Don't get me wrong, I _could_ have, but he was smart enough not to let me. I think he could tell it was happening, and so he stopped me before I could...in retrospect, that's probably why he got you involved in this. But he was so sweet, and thoughtful, and helpful, and handsome—" Her eyes widened as she realized she'd just said that aloud, admitting that _she found him to be attractive,_ and she pointed at him sharply, her face suddenly blazing. "Don't you _dare_ tease me about that."

Zelos gave her a faint smile. "I wouldn't dream of it."

...He didn't really expect her to believe that, did he? She arched an unamused eyebrow at him. "Yes, you would."

"Well, yeah, okay, I would," he conceded with a chuckle, but then his face grew serious as he met her eyes again. "But I won't. I've learned my lesson."

And the thing was, he truly seemed to mean that. She smiled, relieved, suddenly unable to resist teasing _him_. "Good. Maybe there's hope for you after all." His smile returned, a little broader than before, and, to her surprise, his eyes fell downward almost _shyly_. It was an uncharacteristic look for him, but it still made her heart leap a little in excitement. That was another subtle clue that she was on the right track with this if she could elicit _real_ reactions from him, not reactions filtered through a mask of fakeness. She cleared her throat. "Anyway, even after I realized that I _was_ falling for him, I still maintained that was as far as it went, that it was only directed at him; I refused to entertain the other implications that came with it. But then last night..." She swallowed. "Last night I saw it. He was right about you. You two are the same man."

Zelos shook his head, his face somber, his smile gone. "No, we're not. I'm not him."

"No, you're not, not exactly," she admitted, recognizing his point. They _were_ two different men, because that was what two different lives had done to them. But she refused to stop there and let him go on believing that. "And yet you _are_ , Zelos. You might not see it in yourself yet, but I can. You could become that man one day. You have it in you; it's who you are, that kindness, that concern for others, buried beneath that mask you wear...that concern for _me_ , even if you haven't always been the most obvious about showing it. Last night was the first time I could see that possibility in you, that similarity between you two, and I can still see it now...now that I know what I'm looking at."

His eyes as they met hers were still uncertain and guarded, but there was something else there, too, that told her he was also hopeful—hopeful he was understanding her correctly, even if he was still afraid of embracing it. And the thing was, the way he was reacting right now—letting her speak her mind, not twisting her words against her, in no way acting arrogant or stupid or making her feel uncomfortable—was just encouraging her to keep going, to tell him the rest. He really had 'learned his lesson'; he was proving that right now by not embarrassing her for telling him this, something that would be easy for him to do given how much vulnerability she was exposing to him.

Sheena took another deep breath. It was time to find out something else. "Did the other 'you' tell you why he was here?"

"He said Verius brought him here," he replied softly.

Her eyes narrowed at what he _wasn't_ saying, though. "Right, but did he tell you _why_ Verius brought him here?"

He shook his head. "All he said was that Verius was playing some kind of joke on you two."

...He said _what?_ Oh, right. She should've known. "Of course he did," she murmured to herself, letting out a soft laugh. "He wouldn't have told you something like that without asking me if I was okay with it first." As if she'd needed any more proof that Zelos really was a kind, trustworthy, caring man at heart. She cleared her throat. "That's...not entirely accurate. Verius actually brought him here in answer to a wish tag I had made. I finished making it the night before he showed up."

"A...wish tag?" he repeated, his eyes widening slightly, to which she nodded. "I'd ask what you wished for, but I'm guessing it's something personal that you'd rather not share."

"You're right, it is."

"You don't have to tell me, Sheena," Zelos said, his face once again serious. "I mean, I think it's safe to assume you didn't ask for _me_ , not even an alternate version of me."

...And there was even _more_ proof that he really did care about her, enough to step back and not pressure her for something she knew he had to be curious about, the same way he had once stepped back and denied himself something else he had obviously wanted—a relationship with her—because he'd thought it would be better for her to not be associated with the Chosen. That realization reassured her that it was okay to tell him this. He wouldn't intentionally hurt her again. "No, I didn't. And I know I don't have to tell you, but...it's okay. I don't mind if you know." He lifted his eyes to hers, clearly surprised by that, and waited for her to begin. And so she did. "I wished for companionship. I wished for help rebuilding Mizuho. I wished...I wished for love. I didn't want to be alone anymore; I didn't want to feel unloved anymore. I wanted to be able to _feel_ something other than emptiness, guilt, and regret; I wanted to know what it felt like to be madly in love with someone, someone who loved me in return. I wanted to be able to trust myself again."

Zelos didn't say anything as she paused, just watching her carefully, and after a moment, encouraged by his patient attentiveness, she went on. "For days, I couldn't understand Verius's reasoning in bringing another 'you' here in answer to that wish, what he'd hoped to accomplish when I'd been sure I never wanted anything to do with you again. I kept wracking my brain, trying to figure out why he thought that would _help_ me, not just torture me with painful might-have-beens. But then last night...last night I got it. He didn't bring the other 'you' here to hook us up; it was simply to open my eyes, not only to the possibilities right in front of me that I was too blinded by anger and incorrect assumptions to see, but to the reality of everything I _was_ seeing, to look at everything I thought I knew with new eyes. He wanted me to see what's been there in front of me this entire time. And what I saw when I opened my eyes was you, Zelos. I saw the sweet, kindhearted man who had once been my best friend still existed in you, and that he'd never truly left."

Zelos sighed and shook his head. "I'm sorry, Sheena, but I still don't see him. All I see is someone who's hurt you more than can ever be forgiven, someone who would be a fool to trust himself to never do it again."

Sheena smiled as his eyes lifted sadly back to hers. Oh, how well she knew that feeling. And suddenly she knew her answer, one that had become so obvious the past few days that she'd have to be blind not to see it now. It was an answer she would no longer deny, and she would make sure he one day saw and accepted it for himself, too. She _wanted_ him to. "That's okay, you don't have to yet. I do, and that's what matters right now. And no, like we said, you two aren't identical, because life took you in two very different directions. I'm sure I'm just as different from his wife as you are from him. But you're identical in all the ways that really matter, just like your alternate said I was identical to his wife in all the ways that really matter. You may have always acted like a perverted idiot and jerk, Zelos, hiding behind a mask and keeping everyone at arm's length, but beneath that you have a good, kind, loving heart. I've seen it now quite clearly in both you and in him. And despite what your mother might have said to you, you deserve to live and I'm glad you were born." She took a deep breath and met his wide-eyed gaze. "If you let me, I'll make sure one day you're able to see that goodness in yourself, too."

For a moment, all he did was continue staring at her, his lips parted, stunned amazement on his face, as if he was waiting for the other shoe to fall even while desperately hoping it never would. While it felt strange to do so, she made a point to smile and hold his gaze, refusing to give him any reason to think she was lying—because she truly wasn't. And finally, she saw his body relax a little, the tension that had been plaguing him the past few hours beginning to dissipate, and he rewarded her with the faintest of smiles, one so different from every other smile she'd seen from him before that she was mesmerized by it, her heart skipping a beat. Was that a _real_ smile? And...did that mean every other smile she'd seen from him before _hadn't_ been real? She really did have a lot to learn about him yet, didn't she?

"That other 'me' was right about something else, you know," he finally said, his voice soft, that incredible smile still lingering on his lips.

Sheena eyed him uncertainly. "What's that?"

"You really are an amazing woman, Sheena. Amazing _and_ beautiful." Unable to catch herself in time, she let out a soft laugh and looked down, her stomach fluttering and her face suddenly very, very warm. He arched an eyebrow, but his smile never faltered. "You aren't going to run away again, are you?"

She chuckled again shyly...and suddenly the strangest, most unexpected and irresistible impulse overwhelmed her—an impulse she had only experienced once before, just a few days ago. And as much as it took her aback and embarrassed her, she reminded herself of something else the other Zelos had told her earlier—" _Listen to your heart, Sheena, not your head, or you'll likely be second guessing yourself and your choices for the rest of your life, wondering what might have been_ "—and, soundly ignoring the voice of resistance in her head, she surrendered to the impulse. Never had she imagined she would be the one instigating this, a week ago she would've rather killed herself than even _consider_ doing this, but she couldn't help it; her heart was telling her she had to do this. And hopefully this time, unlike when she'd tried it with his alternate, he wouldn't stop her.

Leaning toward him, slowly so as to make her intent clear and give him a chance to turn her away if he really didn't want this, his eyes widening slightly the closer she came to him, Sheena kissed him, brushing her lips lightly, tentatively, against his before pulling back to gauge his reaction, his now-half-lidded eyes watching her carefully. When he didn't back away, his eyes instead falling to her lips, she kissed him again, that time letting herself sink into it, relieved to feel him quickly reciprocate. His hand lifted to her cheek to draw her closer, her hands lightly grasped his shoulders to steady herself, and her eyes slid shut as she reveled in the sensations and emotions that swept through her. The kiss was electric...it was explosive. It was a kiss that sent tingles throughout her body, from her lips down to her feet, making her toes curl and her head spin and her heart race and her body ache for more, for the kiss to go on forever.

And just like that, she got it, what it meant to have chemistry with someone. He'd been right when he'd declared that they had it, and now she understood why he'd made such a big deal out of it. Kissing Orochi had never felt like this, not even once. Those few times they'd kissed, it had felt like she was kissing a rock—cold, empty, lifeless, forgettable, boring. This kiss, though, made her feel more alive than she had in years, made her feel like she was soaring, made her feel eager for more and excited for the future. Where she and Orochi had had no chemistry, passion, or spark, she and Zelos most certainly did. All things considered, she should've known that all along, looking back at how violent and easily roused her emotions were whenever she was with him...that must be how he'd known that himself. The feeling was addictive, and suddenly she wanted more of it, more, more, more, so she pressed her body even closer to his, moaning softly at the enticing heat that enveloped her and thrilling at his responding groan, one originating from deep in his throat.

_Oh, Jizou. This is incredible_.

_Does this answer your question, Zelos?_

The kiss continued another moment, her lips moving slowly, softly, against his, until, to her disappointment, Zelos suddenly broke it, pulling back just a little, his eyes opening languidly yet betraying a guardedness as he looked at her that concerned her. "Sheena, if you're just getting my hopes up to make it worse for me when you change your mind—"

She quickly shook her head, albeit not pulling back any farther yet because, well, she really hadn't been in any hurry to stop kissing him. "I'm not," she replied, surprised by the huskiness in her voice but ignoring it to focus on easing his concern. Because the truth was that it _was_ okay for him to get his hopes up. "I wouldn't do that to you, Zelos. Like I said, after Orochi died, I swore I'd never lead another man on again unless I thought there was hope. I wouldn't have just done that unless I thought there _was_ hope for us."

She could see him swallow, his gaze darting down at her lips again before lifting back to hers. "Are you sure about this? Is this really what you want?"

Sheena laughed softly, shyly, and reluctantly pulled away, sitting back down on the blanket and lowering her hands to her knees. As much as she might want to kiss him again, this, too, they needed to discuss. "I guess that's the question, isn't it?"

"You know, we really don't have to do this," he said, his face still guarded. "We could both go our separate ways and never look back. It's possible you've learned everything you needed to from this whole bizarre experience and can now find the happiness you deserve. It doesn't have to include me, a hopeless idiot who's constantly finding new ways to hurt you. I still think you'd be better off without me in your life at all."

Yeah, she was starting to expect as much from him, now that she knew he was willing to push her away because of how much he _did_ care about her, thinking she'd be happier without him. But this past week had proven it wasn't that simple and that his best intentions didn't necessarily mean she'd be happy with the outcome. "Believe me, Zelos, ever since I made that wish tag, I've been giving a lot of thought to what it is I want. And while it's taken me awhile, especially since I'd been so caught up in what I _thought_ I wanted that I had trouble seeing what I _really_ wanted, I do think I'm starting to get a picture of it."

"And what's that?" Zelos asked cautiously.

Sheena swallowed hard, her mouth suddenly dry and the butterflies fluttering nervously within her, and met his eyes. This was the major realization she'd had last night that had led her to push for this date, and while she'd initially been reluctant to accept it, the longer she'd mulled it over, the more she'd come to accept it...and realize it was what was _truly_ in her heart. And now she needed _him_ to know this. "I want what they have. The happiness, the companionship, the family, the love they've found with each other...I want it all."

Zelos blinked at her, the intensity—and, perhaps, _fear_ —in his eyes obvious. "With...me?" he whispered, so softly that she barely heard him.

"I think it's too early to say for certain one way or the other, because we still have a lot of issues to work out and things we need to know about each other, but...I think it's a good possibility." She didn't want to know how red her face was, and while the thought of telling him this was embarrassing, her gut insisted she had to; if she truly wanted him to be open and honest with her, then she had to be open and honest with him. "I've never felt anything quite as amazing as I did when I just kissed you."

His lips quirked upward in a smile that held no trace of arrogance, just a beautiful sincerity that warmed her heart knowing she had put it there. And just like that, Sheena could see the transformation wash over him, one that amazed, excited, and encouraged her: his guard had just dropped. "Heh. I've never kissed anyone and had it feel anything like that before."

Her heart skipped a beat. So she hadn't been the only one wowed by that kiss, huh? Although maybe she should check before jumping to too many conclusions, because it could just be wishful thinking on her part. "What about you?" she asked, suddenly afraid to hear his answer. "What do _you_ want? Do you want to go back to your normal, carefree life and all the hunnies you could ever want? Because if you do, you can. I won't stop you. Nothing has to change just because _he_ showed up here with all this talk of a different life for us in an alternate universe. Ultimately, this was _my_ wish, not yours, and if that's what you want, you can have it. I'd just rather know now, before..." Her face grew even warmer, and her gaze fell to her knees. Was she really going to say this? Aw, hell. She was. "Before I'm too far gone."

"Oh, Sheena," he whispered, lifting his hand to her cheek again, drawing her eyes back to his, and giving her another faint yet sincere smile. "If you knew how long, and how _much,_ I've wanted to get rid of that life, you wouldn't even be asking me that. No, I don't want my current life and my hunnies. Not even a little. Not if there's the possibility for something better to replace it."

Sheena swallowed again, still reluctant to get her hopes up that he was implying what she thought he was: that the possibility for 'something better' meant a life with her. As awkward and embarrassing as this was to ask, she had to know. She bowed her head shyly. "Do you...do you still love me? Even after all these years?"

Her eyes darted up at him as his hand fell from her cheek to her arm, and he sighed, watching her carefully, but his face was still soft and tender. "Honestly? I'm not sure. And one thing I do know is that I'm not willing to call it that unless I _am_ sure. I mean, we went years without seeing or talking to each other, and I spent most of that time trying not to think about you. I thought I'd done a decent job of it, too, but then I saw you a few days ago, and it..." He paused, his fingers grazing her skin. "It was like, in that instant, a dam I hadn't realized I had inside me crashed. All I know is that, despite my best efforts to forget you, those feelings are still there. They always are, it seems; in all the years I've known you, that's one thing that's never changed, no matter how long I've gone without seeing you...no matter how hard I've tried to deny it. I guess I just can't get over you. That doesn't make it _love,_ but...I think it could be again." He smiled faintly. "I don't think it would take much; as it is, I'm probably already halfway there. I suspect one or two more kisses like that last one will do the trick, even if nothing else did."

Oh, thank Jizou. His honesty was a relief, and she let out another shy laugh. And honestly, she wouldn't call what she felt for him _love_ yet, either; it was way too early, and too complicated, to know that for certain. She didn't want to call it something based on a hunch or what this feeling had turned out to be in another life where she had married him. But she couldn't deny that she could feel it happening, far more quickly than she'd expected—maybe even more quickly than she felt comfortable with—and she wanted to see where it went and how these feelings might evolve. Because that was one thing she was now determined to do: not over-think this. She wanted to just let herself fall, as hard as she could, no matter how scary it might be. She wanted to experience that exhilaration, that excitement, that adventure into an unknown realm. If that was what it took to be free of her debilitating fear and guilt and emptiness, and if it meant bringing happiness and love into both of their lives, then she would embrace it. And judging from how fast her heart was fluttering and the wave of emotions currently coursing through her, it shouldn't take long.

"So...you want this?" she ventured.

His smile broadened. "Sheena, I would trade my old life in a heartbeat for a real chance with you, even if it ultimately goes nowhere." He shrugged. "Granted, this whole thing has been a little sudden, seeing as I'd never expected to talk to you again, let alone be sitting here with you right now, discussing this, but it's not like it's the first time life has thrown something crazy at me out of the blue. I mean, you have no idea how jealous I am of that other 'me' and of everything he built for himself. In fact, I don't think I've ever felt so jealous of anyone in my life. And then for that person I'm jealous of to be another version of _me_ , meaning I could've had it all along if only I'd done a few things differently? No, believe me, I want it as much as you say you do. I always have. He has a wife, a daughter, a family, a home. He has love, respect, faith in himself, a meaningful life. He's free of the fakeness of Meltokio. He has real friends who don't give a damn about his rank in society." His voice lowered and his smile faltered, but the softness and light never left his eyes. "I would give anything, _everything_ , to have that for myself."

Sheena could feel her heart racing again. If this really was what it sounded like, and it sure seemed like she was interpreting it correctly, then for the first time in years, she had _hope_ again— _real_ hope for a brighter future. She never, ever would've thought that future would include _him_ , but they were where they were, and she couldn't—wouldn't—deny it any longer, what she was feeling at that moment, what they had discussed, what they had discovered about each other, and what they had both declared. She might never have experienced love before this to know what it felt like, but she had a strong hunch this was it—or if not this, then this was the first stirrings of it.

"Then...are we really going to do this?" she asked. "Give 'us' a shot?"

He considered that a moment, watching her closely, his lips quirking upward again. "Y'know, I think we're really going to do this." His voice was low, but even Sheena could hear the amazement, awe, and excitement in it, the same as she was currently feeling. Without warning, though, his face grew pointed. "You know this won't be easy, though, right? This may be a start for us, but we still have a lot of hard issues to work out before we'll be in any position to consider ourselves capable of achieving what they have. There are a lot of important conversations we'll have to have. There are a lot of things you need to know about me, and I'm guessing it's the same for you."

She nodded. "I know." And she truly did know that. She wouldn't pretend everything would go smoothly after this just because they both wanted what their alternates had. As the other Zelos had warned her, even if they tried this, there was no guarantee they could get past those issues, and no matter how hard they tried, they might never find the same happiness he and his wife had. It was entirely possible that their fledgling relationship was already doomed simply because of who they were and everything they'd done to each other. "But I'm willing to put in the work to at least find out. If you are, that is."

"Yeah, I am," he said, his smile reappearing. "Granted, it's a pretty dark, dreary place in my head—in my _life,_ for that matter—but...maybe you can help me find some light in it."

Was that an actual plea for her help? Oh, Zelos. She gave him a wistful smile. "Well, I can't make any guarantees, but I'll try. But you have to do the same for me, because I have an awful lot of darkness and dreariness in my life, too."

"Deal. Maybe we'll have more luck with each other than we do with ourselves."

"I hope so," she murmured. But this, too, was something he not only needed to hear, but agree to. She pointed at him. "If we really do decide to do this, though, you have to be _honest_ with me. You have to let me see _you_ again—the _real_ you, the one you've been showing me the past few days. You have to promise there won't be any more hunnies, any more lies, or any more teasing. And you can't push me away again without explaining your concerns and discussing it with me first. Got it?"

He nodded curtly. "Got it. I promise I'll do the best I can to be a better man for you, the kind of man you deserve. I can't guarantee I'll be able to, because I really _am_ a mess, but I'll try."

"That's all I ask: that you try." She took a deep breath and met his eyes. "Then I say we give it a shot and see what happens. I mean, what do we have to lose?"

Without warning, his face grew somber again. "A lot, actually. We both could end up hurt again...or, worse, hurting each other again."

...Oh. Right. Yeah, he had a point, didn't he? They'd both proven plenty of times how easy it was to hurt each other. But still, right now she didn't care. It was hard _to_ care when there was finally _hope_ again. "Maybe, but I have trouble believing that anything that happens after this could be worse than what we've already put each other through."

"Oh, believe me, it could. If we let ourselves fall in love and then it all falls apart and nothing we try fixes it, it'll be far worse for us both." Zelos paused, giving her another pointed look. "I could break your heart, Sheena. We both know how good I am at hurting those people I care about."

"Don't forget I'm just as good at hurting those people who love me as you are, so I could very well break your heart, too," she quickly replied. There was no way she trusted herself yet not to use any man like she had Orochi again, only for him to pay the ultimate price for it, and the truth was, she couldn't deny that she was terrified that would happen again with Zelos. He didn't deserve that, and it wasn't like she _wanted_ to do that to him, but it was still a possibility. Until she had proven otherwise, that was just how it would be. "Then I guess we'll just have to make sure that doesn't happen, won't we?"

He eyed her again but then sighed, his voice falling to a murmur. "I wish it were that easy. But I know me, Sheena. Wrecking things is a talent of mine."

"I'm not under any illusions this _will_ be easy," she countered, because her gut was telling her this would be damn hard no matter how much they wanted it and no matter how hard they tried to make it work. "And don't forget I'm the same when it comes to wrecking things. But I still think if that other version of us managed to make it work, despite all the difficulties they've faced—and I don't know how much the other 'you' told you, but he made it pretty clear to me that they've faced more than their share of problems, before _and_ after they got married—then I think it's safe to say we truly do have a shot."

"Heh. I hope so." He shrugged. "I guess we won't know for sure unless we try, will we?"

Sheena shook her head. "No, we won't. Like you always used to say, ' _Whatever will be, will be'_...right?"

And just like that, his face lit up. "...Right."

Oh, Jizou, this was really happening, wasn't it? They were actually going to embrace these budding feelings, take this chance, and see what came of it. It might turn out to be nothing...but then, it might turn out to be everything, including the answer to her wish, one she'd never expected but that might just prove to be exactly what she'd always wanted. Maybe the broken mirror _could_ be fixed, and the bad luck that had accompanied it and plagued them both ever since might finally be over. That mirror would never look the same as it once had, nor would it ever look the same as the beautiful mirror that existed in that alternate universe, but that didn't matter. What mattered was that it had existed once, they were going to piece it back together now, and whatever they ended up creating, it would be _theirs_.

For a long moment, they just observed each other, smiling nervously yet excitedly...but then, without warning, Zelos's smile turned into a smirk tinged with playful wickedness. "So now that we've figured all of that out...if I were to, oh, say, ask for another kiss, would I actually _get_ a kiss or would you smack me?"

Instantly, Sheena felt her blush return, and she gave him the best mock-glare she could, a habitual response whenever he made her feel uncomfortable. Being asked by him for a kiss was no exception. Of course, now that she thought about it, she couldn't help wondering how many of those times he'd 'asked' for one before had been for real and how many had been just to 'push her away'...but right now that wasn't important. No, right now she couldn't help the little leap her heart made at the thought of kissing him again, nor could she help the desire that overwhelmed her for that very thing. Soon enough, her glare had vanished and she was smiling at him softly and laughing shyly, and then she was leaning toward him again, eager to comply, relieved to see he was finally starting to act a little more like his usual self again. And then their lips were lightly brushing each other's, sending another thrill racing down her spine, and Sheena closed her eyes, pressing her lips more fully against his, savoring the taste and the warmth and the way his hand cupped her cheek...

Her eyes flew open as he abruptly pulled back, his face alight with realization, and she stared at him, stunned. _Now_ why was he interrupting this bliss? For someone who professed to love kissing women so much, he sure was quick to cut it off. "Oh! Hold that thought, sweetheart." Her blush deepened, even as her heart leapt again at hearing him call her that, a term of endearment the other version of him had occasionally called her. "There's something important I forgot to do."

She arched an eyebrow as he began rummaging around in the picnic basket, looking for something. "What could possibly be important enough to interrupt _that_?"

He glanced up at her, smirking. "Well, I don't know that this is more _important_ , but I'm afraid if I don't do this now, I'll get so distracted that I really will forget. Don't worry, we'll get back to that in a minute."

Her face was burning again. "Well, I wasn't really _worried_..." she mumbled, flustered.

"Yes, you were," he stated. " _Anyway_..." With a cry of triumph, Zelos suddenly pulled something out, his smirk vanished, and, to her surprise, his face suddenly grew serious again. He held up a tiny box toward her. "Here. This is for you."

...Huh? It was a small package that had been wrapped in pretty purple and silver paper and tied with a shiny purple bow. "What's this?" she asked, her eyes snapping from the box to his face, watching him carefully. "And don't tell me a present, because I can see that much."

His gaze fell downward guiltily. "Yeah...so, you remember that New Year's all those years ago?" Her eyes widened as he met her gaze again; of course she did, because that day had been the beginning of the end for their friendship, the day he'd started acting downright _cruel_ toward her. He must have been able to see the recognition on her face for he quickly nodded. "I know. I was a gigantic jerk toward you, and I handled the situation—and my own feelings—very poorly. That was just one of many times that I intentionally hurt you."

"So...you got me this present to make up for forgetting to get me one then?" Sheena ventured, still not sure what he was getting at.

Zelos smiled awkwardly. "Not quite. I actually _had_ gotten you something back then." His voice lowered and his face sank. "As if I could've forgotten to get _you_ something."

...Wait, what? "You...did?" she whispered, her heart pounding faster. And yet, of course he had; if he had truly loved her back then, then he never could've forgotten about her. She'd just had no idea. Was this yet another thing she'd had wrong about him all this time?

"Of course I did," he whispered. "After I found out about you and Orochi, though, I was a royal, jealous, frustrated idiot who apparently regressed to being a seven-year-old and decided not to give it to you." His eyes met hers, sadness once again etched in them. "I'm sorry, Sheena. I should have been a better man back then and given it to you anyway."

Sheena shook her head. She was tired of living in the past, where all she saw was loss, heartache, and misery. The future was ahead of them, looking brighter than anything she'd seen in ages, and right now she wanted to look forward to that far more than she wanted to dwell on things they couldn't change. "It's over and done with, Zelos. Don't beat yourself up over it anymore. We have a chance to move forward, but that'll never happen if we keep living in the past. Whether you deserve it or not, I'm giving you a second chance, so stay focused on that future we both want and don't make me regret giving it to you, okay?"

Thankfully, his beautiful smile returned. "Right. Thank you. Keep reminding me of that, because chances are I'll need to hear it again. Anyway, just because I didn't give this to you then doesn't mean I didn't keep it. And...well, I want you to have it." To her amazement, a light blush appeared on his face. "Heh. Actually, it's even more appropriate now than it was then considering who it was who ultimately brought us back together again. So...go on. Open it."

She eyed him another moment, still not sure why he was so determined to give her this _right now,_ but then she took the box from him. Pulling off the card, she opened it—it was still sealed, meaning if he was telling the truth about what this was, then it hadn't been opened in years and had preserved everything he'd wanted to tell her back then—and, after eyeing him another moment while he motioned at her to go ahead and read it, she did.

*~0~*

_Sheena,_

_Wow, what a year it's been, huh? It seems like everything we've ever known has changed thanks to Lloyd and the gang. I know you sure have—you're even more gorgeous now than before! I didn't think that was possible, and yet you are. Trust me, I know these things._

_I know you won't believe me, but I've changed, too. Or at least I'd really like to believe that. I know, I know, I'm still as drop-dead sexy as ever, but...a lot of things in my life are different now. Huge things. That's why I've been doing a lot of thinking lately. I don't particularly_ _**enjoy** _ _doing such heavy thinking, but I can't help it. With all these new, different things in my life, I need to figure out how to deal with them. I need to figure out what I truly want. Right now I'm not sure yet, but I'm working it out. I'm getting closer; I have a vague image in mind. I just need to figure out how to get there, and if it's something I'm even capable of getting anymore._

_One of those things I've been thinking about a lot lately has been you. Listen, I owe you an apology. I owe you many apologies, actually. I know I haven't been the greatest friend to you the past few years. I know I've said and done a lot of things that have pissed you off and made you hate me, and you're right to want to steer clear of me._

_I can finally say it now, though: I'm sorry. You deserve better from me than how I've always treated you. I had my reasons back then, but they're not important anymore. Right now I just need you to know that none of my idiocy was your fault, and I hope you never thought it was. You're an amazing woman, Sheena, and you deserve a friend who'll be there for you and not make you angry all the time. Whether I can be that friend or not, I don't know yet. I'm not always the best at giving people what they need. I'm usually too selfish to do that. But things have changed so much for me this year that I really want to give it another try. I want to try to make it up to you, because that's what you deserve._

_I know I don't deserve a second chance, but I promise, whether you give it to me or not, I'm going to do my best to be that friend to you. I'm going to try to change and treat you better. I'm going to work as hard as I can to earn back your trust. You called me a 'good person' once not long ago, and I want you to know how much that means to me. I've never seen myself as such, and for believing in me even when I don't and for making me want to live up to your faith in me...thank you. Truly, thank you._

_There are a lot of other things I want to tell you sometime, things you should know. Would you give me a chance to do so? Just once is all I need, and just to talk. No teasing, no groping, no flirting, no lies. I promise. You can tear me limb from limb if I break that promise. I know your gut is probably telling you no way, don't do it, but think about it, okay? I have time. I'm not going anywhere._

_Anyway, I thought you might like this little gift. Whenever you feel alone—and I know you often do, since I do, too, and we're a lot alike in that way—I thought you might like to have this, as a reminder that your friends are always with you and that we care about you. New Year's is for looking forward to the future, but we always have certain links to our past that strengthen and guide us whenever we have to make choices. Some of those links are meaningful and deeply treasured and not something we ever want to forget. Well, some we_ _**do** _ _want to forget, but this one I'm pretty sure you don't. So keep it close, and just remember that while I say and do a lot of dumb things, I'll always care about you the same way this little guy did._

_And that's enough rambling from me, so I'll wrap this up. I hope you're willing to talk again—_ _**really** _ _talk, like we used to—one of these days. If you're ever in Meltokio, you know where I live. You're always welcome there, to stay an afternoon, a night, a day, a week, whatever, whenever. Always._

_Anyway, happy New Year's, Sheena. I hope this year brings you everything you wish for. If there's any way I can help make that happen, please, let me know, and you can consider it done._

_Love ya always,_

_That Idiot Ex-Chosen_

*~0~*

"Open it."

Sheena started as his voice interrupted her concentration on the letter, and she was startled to realize she'd been sitting there with tears in her eyes the past few minutes, her heart breaking at the letter he'd clearly written years ago. In her hands she held the proof that Zelos really had loved her back then, that he'd wanted to rekindle their early friendship, apologize for how he used to treat her, and pursue something more with her. If she hadn't announced her engagement that night...where would they be today? Had they really lost all these years of potential happiness together because she'd said 'yes' to Orochi just a few days too early to see the other, better alternative waiting there within her reach, one that made her feel alive and excited for the future?

Swallowing hard and forcing herself from her thoughts, she looked up at him, her heart pounding, saddened by the wistfulness and regret she saw in his eyes. Did he even remember what he'd written to her back then? Did he remember how heartfelt and hopeful this letter was? The look in his eyes seemed to indicate he did. Still not smiling, Zelos motioned at the box, urging her to open it, and so she nodded, looked down at it, and began carefully unwrapping it, admiring the pretty, shimmering, purple and silver paper. All this time, he had kept this, even though he'd never thought she would speak to him again or that he'd get another chance to give it to her. That, too, told her far more than she'd imagined possible about the true man within the 'Idiot Ex-Chosen' before her.

Upon revealing the box beneath the paper, Sheena tentatively opened it...and her heart melted. Now she understood why he'd said it was even more appropriate to give her now: because Corrine _was_ ultimately the one who, through Verius, had bestowed upon her this incredible gift of a second chance with Zelos. Pulling it out of the tissue paper, she held it up, admiring the precious beauty of the little figurine of her long-lost friend...the one who now existed as the creature who'd been gracious enough to answer her wish tag in the most unlikely yet effective way imaginable. Unable to restrain her tears anymore, she finally let one fall, smiling and biting her lip as it trembled. Zelos had wanted her to remember that she always had friends who cared about her enough to give her something like this, something that would remind her they were always there, with her in her heart, just as Corrine was.

And for a moment, she wondered what would have happened if Zelos had given her this back then, if it would've changed anything between them, if they would already be where their alternates were now. Part of her doubted it, because she still probably would've married Orochi, believing that to be her duty to Mizuho, but she still couldn't help wondering. If they'd remained friends...after Orochi had died, would Zelos have been there for her? Would they have begun a relationship then? Would he have been able to help Mizuho? Would they be happy now? But he had already apologized for that, for _not_ being there for her and for pushing her away like he had, and so had she, and so there was no use dwelling on it when it wouldn't accomplish anything anyway. He'd given this to her now, better late than never, and they had this chance to start over anew, and she'd be damned if she didn't take it. This little figurine was yet another reason to believe her life was finally on the right course.

Unable to resist any longer, Sheena looked up at Zelos, threw herself at him, wrapped her arms around him, and gave him a tight hug. She could feel him stiffen, clearly surprised by her action, but he quickly recovered, wrapping his arms around her in return. "Thank you," she whispered to him. "It's perfect...I love it."

She could feel him swallow hard before murmuring in her ear, "I wish I'd given it to you years ago, Sheena."

"I wish you had, too. I wish everything back then had happened differently." Pulling back a little, she gave him a warm smile. "But we've been given another chance now. Let's do it right this time."

To her relief and encouragement, Zelos returned her smile, his eyes reflecting pure happiness. " _Whatever will be, will be_." And then he kissed her again, and that time there were no more interruptions for a very long time.

0~*~0

It had long since turned dark by the time the two finally returned to Zelos's mansion. They had spent hours out on the forested bluff, watching the sunset over the ocean, talking, and getting reacquainted, until darkness had settled and they'd had to reluctantly call it a night and head back. Zelos was feeling utterly euphoric, and he had been ever since they'd worked out that yes, they really did want to give this a shot. In fact, he was feeling downright _giddy_ —something he was pretty sure he'd never felt before. Apparently this was what being _in love_ felt like; he might not be ready to tell her he loved her yet, not until he was sure, but that didn't mean he wasn't almost positive that was what this was. That sure hadn't taken long, had it? It was such a far cry from the lust he was used to...and he liked this better, this feeling of being cared about by someone he cared for just as deeply, of looking at someone and just knowing that person was your future, of the leap of excitement he felt whenever she gave him that oh-so-cute, adorably shy smile. And, even better, Sheena seemed to be feeling the same, based on the brightness and excitement in her eyes every time she looked at him.

He had to admit he hadn't been sure about this when they'd left on their date; he'd been certain it, _they,_ had been doomed to fail. And there was no denying the date had had a rocky start. He'd had to constantly watch himself so he didn't accidentally call her 'hunny' or anything else that would piss her off; he'd had to listen to her tell him a lot of things about herself that just drove the knife of guilt deeper in his chest; he'd had to tell her things he wasn't comfortable telling anyone. But now...well, while he still wasn't entirely convinced that giving this a shot was a good idea, nor was he convinced yet that he could trust himself not to mess this up like he always did, he refused to back out. No, if this was going to fall apart, he wanted it to be _her_ choice, because she'd realized how dumb it had been to get involved with him. But for now Sheena didn't seem to care that he was a mess, she truly seemed to believe in him—a thought that boggled his mind but gave him hope that maybe he _was_ capable of doing something right with her—and all of that combined made him feel, for perhaps the first time ever, like he wasn't a complete waste of space.

And to that end, he refused to back out, especially knowing what kind of life he'd be going back to if he did...and especially knowing that Sheena clearly wanted this to work as much as he did. He didn't want to disappoint her again. He wanted to hold onto this amazing feeling of happiness and hope forever. Maybe that was selfish of him, but Sheena didn't seem to mind. And the best part was that he was finally getting to see her in a new, happy, less violent and angry light, and he loved seeing her constant smiles and hearing her sincere laughter. So for now he would enjoy this feeling as long as it lasted. It had been years since he'd last left his future in the hands of fate, but he would do so again now, only with far more effort on his part this time to make sure 'they' lasted.

On the way home they'd decided that, since it was so late, Sheena would stay overnight in his guest room and then head back to Mizuho in the morning—at which point he'd reemphasized his invitation that she truly was welcome there anytime. After all, he hadn't been lying when he'd said he'd missed her, and he hoped this was the start of seeing her again on a regular basis. He really had enjoyed their conversation tonight, too, and he hoped that boded well that more such conversations awaited them; he was pretty sure he'd _never_ had a heart-to-heart like they'd just had before. It had been enlightening and amazing—and, once they'd decided what they wanted, it had even become surprisingly _comfortable_ , just getting reacquainted and tentatively uncovering more 'secrets' about each other. Even when the sun had set and their conversation had trickled off, it had remained comfortable. Of course, he still wasn't sure how physical she wanted to be; she liked kissing him—he'd figured that out quickly—and she'd willingly hugged him, but he hadn't wanted to push his luck and so he'd refrained from trying anything more than that, not even allowing himself to try holding her hand. This was still new for them both, they were still feeling this new relationship out, and so he'd decided that he would take this slow and let her set the pace. This time he _would_ do things right with her. He would work his butt off not to push her in any way that might make her regret choosing to give him this unexpected, unwarranted chance.

Reaching his mansion, Zelos held the door open for her—which he was tickled to see elicited a blush from her, clearly not used to being treated like a lady—and then he offered to get her something to eat or drink, although she politely turned him down, saying she was still full from supper and was just ready to head to bed, considering the busy day she'd had before their date had even begun. He then ushered her upstairs, where they stopped in front of the guest room.

And just like that, even after how open and honest they'd been with each other all night about their thoughts and feelings, her blush returned as she gave him another shy smile. "I, um, I had a great time tonight."

He'd thought as much, considering how _happy_ she'd been almost the entire time, but it was still good to hear those words. He grinned. "Me, too. I hope we can do that again sometime."

"I'd like that."

For a long moment they just stood like that, Zelos watching her carefully—she really did look tired—until he realized, if he wanted to do this right, he had to be a gentleman and _let her get some sleep._ And so he would. He reached up and lightly touched her cheek, brushing a stray lock of dark hair back behind her ear. "Good night, Sheena."

Her eyebrows rose. "You aren't gonna ask me to come to bed with you?"

Oh, how he _wanted_ to, to hold her in his arms all night and make love to her and show her, without words, how he felt about her, but that definitely didn't work with his determination to leave the pace of this relationship solely in her hands. And while sure, he was tempted to tease and flirt with her, he was also pretty sure they weren't ready for that next step yet. This relationship was still too new, he was still trying to find his feet with her and learn what it meant to be in a serious relationship with someone he cared this deeply about, and tonight was way, _way_ too soon for them to even start _considering_ adding sex to the mix.

He shook his head. "No, I'm not."

"Really?" she pressed.

"Really."

And then something happened that Zelos definitely _wasn't_ expecting: her smile faded and her face hardened. "What, so I'm not good enough for you? Or is it that you really aren't attracted to me?"

Whoa, was he interpreting this right? Had she actually _wanted_ him to invite her into his bed? Sheena really had changed these past few years, hadn't she? But still... _no_ , no matter what she might be implying. He gave her a pointed look. "Don't you ever think that, Sheena. _Ever_. Because that is the farthest thing in the world from the truth."

She folded her arms to her chest and gave him a disbelieving look. "And yet that's what you've done with every other hunny you've ever dated, isn't it? Invited them to bed with you?"

Oh, yeah, she still had trust issues with him—and he couldn't blame her. Well, the only way he could fix that was to prove he _could_ be trusted—even if he wasn't sure yet that he could—and right now, following his alternate's instructions and being honest with her was probably his best bet. "You're right, that's what I used to do with every hunny I dated _who I didn't care anything about_. Sex with them was...well, it was very selfish. It was all about _me_. I didn't give a damn about any of them; half the time I didn't even know their names. I used them all because they _wanted_ me to use them, not because I felt anything for them. It was empty, and honestly, I usually felt worse afterwards than I had before. I hated myself for doing that, but I had no reason to stop and so I didn't.

"Everything's different with you, though, Sheena. _Everything_. What I feel for you I never felt for them; I care about you, I _respect_ you, far too much to risk wrecking this, whatever it may turn out to be, by moving too quickly or resorting to my usual tactics. I refuse to use you like that. You mean way too much to me. You've given me this amazing second chance with you, and I want to take this slowly and do it right and not do anything that makes you question my motives. And tonight that means letting you go to bed _in_ _your own_ _bed_ , not asking you to join me in mine. That doesn't mean I don't want you, so don't ever think it does; it just means I don't want you unless you want me, want _that_ , as much as I do. Hopefully one day that will change, when we're both ready for it. It'll be your call. Just keep in mind that walking away from you tonight instead of pushing for more is extremely hard for me, so don't tempt me. Okay?"

Thankfully, her face immediately softened, a blush settled on her cheeks, and her gaze fell downward shyly, her smile returning. "Okay. Thank you. I wasn't implying you _should_ be asking me; I was just wondering why you weren't. I appreciate your reasoning, though...and I'm grateful for your consideration."

Zelos returned her smile as she looked up at him again, but suddenly he couldn't resist smirking and waggling his eyebrows. "I wouldn't be opposed to a good night kiss, though..."

Sheena rolled her eyes, but then she let out a soft laugh and gave him a sweet peck on his lips. Pulling back, she looked up at him again, her brown eyes shining with warmth and happiness, and then she kissed him again, longer and deeper that time, her hand lifting to his neck and holding him close, making him groan softly in appreciation. When she finally pulled away, he returned the gesture by touching her face, observing her with the utmost reverence. He couldn't help but be amazed that she was standing here with him, that she was giving him this chance...that they even _had_ a chance thanks to her wish and her capacity for love and understanding. No, he was going to do this right. He _would not_ mess this up. He wanted this to last; he wanted to feel this hope, this sense of happiness, forever, to keep it close to his heart and never again feel that same emptiness and despair for the future that he'd felt for most of his life.

He wanted _her_. And now that he had a chance with her, he'd be damned if he let anyone, himself included, take it away from him.

"Good night, Sheena," he whispered to her.

"Good night, Zelos."

Still watching him, she took a step backward, then she disappeared into the guest room, giving him one last shy, happy smile as the door closed behind her. Once it was shut, Zelos leaned against the wall beside the door, his heart pounding, closing his eyes and smiling. It felt really, really good to be this happy for a change. Sure, he still had plenty of doubts about where this might go and whether or not he could do this right, but right now he wasn't going to dwell on those; he was going to dwell on the beautiful, promising smile Sheena had just given him and enjoy this incredible moment as long as he possibly could.

...Which didn't turn out to be long, seeing as his bliss was quickly interrupted by the sound of his own voice coming from the lower level of the mansion. "Good call."

Annoyed, his eyes opened again, but he couldn't stay upset long as he noticed his short-haired alternate standing near the main door, looking up at him and grinning. He hadn't even known the other 'him' had been there...not that he minded seeing as it wasn't like the guy was trying to steal Sheena away for himself or anything. After all, if it hadn't been for him, they wouldn't be where they were right now, and he clearly knew it, judging from the smug, knowing look on his face. Ah, well, Zelos didn't mind chatting with him about this. How could he when the guy was essentially _him_?

Pushing himself away from the wall, he began heading down the steps. "Good call about what?"

The other 'him' motioned at the guest room. "Deciding to wait and leave the whole 'sex' decision in her hands."

"Ah." He stopped at the bottom of the steps, his curiosity suddenly piqued. How often did someone have the opportunity to get a mental picture of the future that could potentially await them, after all? "So how long did you and your wife wait?"

"Until our wedding night." For a moment, Zelos blinked at him, waiting for the punch line, but his alternate just grinned. "Seriously. In our world, Mizuho had a rather extreme rule in place at the time that said women there couldn't have sex before marriage, under threat of exile or death, and because Sheena was set to become chief, we had no choice but to follow it. So we waited until there was no more threat and then we...made up for lost time." He shrugged. "Honestly? It was the best decision given our circumstances, seeing as being forced to ignore sex helped me focus on the real issues, figure out what I wanted, and realize yes, I really did want to marry her. I needed to know where I stood on our relationship before sex entered the picture. Waiting was difficult at times, but I don't regret it." For a moment, Zelos just gaped at him, horrified. Was his alternate implying that _he and Sheena_ _couldn't have sex unless they got married_?! Zelos was willing to wait as long as he had to to make sure Sheena would be comfortable with it when they did take that step, but that was pushing it. His alternate, however, clearly saw his reaction and shook his head. "It was hard, but not impossible. And keep in mind that before that, I hadn't slept with anyone since I was a teenager. Once the worlds were reunited, Sheena and I started dating almost immediately. Waiting an extra year wasn't that much different from the years I'd resisted sleeping with anyone before that."

Okay, he understood that, but still... "I don't know that I can wait _that_ long."

Thankfully, his doppelganger shook his head. "You shouldn't have to. Sheena's...well, she's not exactly a virgin anymore, so that whole silly rule of Mizuho's is a moot point now."

Oh...ugh. Zelos knew what his alternate was implying, and he wasn't particularly enthused about it. His face twisted in disgust. "Yeah, don't remind me. I really don't want to think about what she and Orochi might have done after they got married."

The other 'him' snorted. "Yeah, I know the feeling. The thought of them together like that makes my skin crawl. Just keep in mind that while this Sheena has had sex before, she's never _enjoyed_ sex before, so you have a good opportunity to fix that for her."

Oh... _oh_. Zelos's eyes widened and his face fell. If that was true...then what he'd said to her that last time they'd seen each other after her wedding, about how she'd 'had a bad wedding night' and had come to him to find out how it was supposed to be done...oh, _crap_. How could she possibly be so forgiving now after all the dumb, cruel things he'd said and done? He really had been a jackass toward her back then, hadn't he?

The other 'him' nodded knowingly. "Yeah...I know what you're thinking, and some of those things you said back then probably did cut a little too close to the truth. But I've also mentioned to her that my Sheena loves sex, at least with me, so I'm sure she's curious what it's like. In any case, you shouldn't have to worry about waiting _that_ long before taking that step, but I wouldn't recommend rushing into it, either. Do what you said and leave that decision in her hands. My Sheena appreciated my patience and the fact that I never tried to pressure her for something she wasn't ready for. And when we did finally take that step, it was worth the wait and made it that much more special for us both."

Ah. Well, he couldn't really argue that, could he? "I'll keep that in mind. Thanks."

His alternate smiled, then motioned upstairs again. "So I take it from what I saw before that everything went well tonight?"

And suddenly Zelos couldn't help the giddy, most likely sappy, smile from reappearing on his lips. "You could say that. We worked out a lot and decided to give this a try and see what comes of it—hopefully something like what you guys have."

"Good," he replied with a grin. "I'm glad for you. Now I can leave here tomorrow with the knowledge that things are heading in a better direction for you both."

So tomorrow was the end of his tenure here and then he'd be returning home, eh? Zelos had almost forgotten that this guy wouldn't be here permanently. But right now that wasn't important seeing as other issues he'd just uncovered were currently foremost in his mind. "We still have a lot of stuff to work out, though. I'm pretty sure she doesn't trust me yet."

The other 'him' shook his head. "Not completely, no, I'm sure she doesn't. You treated her like crap, and it'll take her time to overcome that. But for now, the trust you do have from her is enough. Chances are you just earned a few more 'trust points' in her book by leaving the sex matter in her hands. Just keep working on improving yourself and trying to live up to her faith in you, and soon enough she'll trust you fully. And like I said, don't forget that if guilt ever starts getting the better of you and you start thinking about leaving because she would be 'better off without you'...well, don't. You'll only hurt her again. She wants this 'thing' with you to work—I could see the that in her eyes just now—and to have any building hope she has crushed because you decide to dump her 'for her own good' would be unforgivable, and it would probably scare her off from ever trusting you, maybe even anyone else, ever again. I get it, though; it took me a long time to get over what I did to my wife, and I'm sure you have even more guilt than I did. In fact, I'm pretty sure I only stayed with her that long because I _didn't_ want to hurt her. It was only once Sheena smacked me on the head and insisted she didn't want anyone else, that she was truly happy with me and wasn't going anywhere, that I finally started letting go of that fear, accepted myself, and began looking toward our future together."

Zelos sighed and folded his arms to his chest. He really hoped this guy was right, because despite how happy he was that things were looking up for him, a niggling doubt remained in the back of his mind, reminding him that Sheena should be looking elsewhere for a companion and lover because nothing good could come from being with him. He was trying to ignore it and remind himself that in that alternate world, Sheena really was happy with him, but that was easier said than done. "I really was an ass to her back then. She hasn't forgiven me for it yet, and she's right not to."

"Give her time," his alternate replied. "She will, and probably sooner than you expect. I know her well enough to know that, assuming you don't do something really dumb like, oh, cheat on her. If you did, she would write you out of her life for good...and _that_ you really _would_ deserve."

Oh, that was one thing Zelos was sure wouldn't be a problem. Give up those garish hunnies and the empty sex that made him feel horrible afterwards for a chance at a real future with the woman he loved? What was there to consider? "No problem there. I'm glad to finally have an excuse to get rid of them. But as much as I want this with Sheena, I'm just having trouble accepting it's really happening. I don't deserve this, not even a tiny sliver of the happiness you guys have. I keep thinking it'll only last a few days before she—"

"—Comes to her senses and dumps you?" his alternate finished for him. "Yeah, been there, done that. But you'll see. Just don't push her away again and eventually it'll become clear that what you think of yourself and your own worth doesn't matter; what _she_ thinks of you does. And in time, thanks to her help, love, and encouragement, your view of yourself will improve. Mine did. It'll probably take months, but it _will_ eventually happen."

Well, Zelos might not believe that yet, but his alternate had been right about too many other things so far for him to dismiss it. "I hope you're right."

The other 'him' smiled. "You'll see. I can't say this enough: that woman is incredible. She changed my life for the better, and I wouldn't go back to how I used to be even if I could. She helped me become someone I'd always wanted to be. Everything I did after we started dating was to make it up to her and live up to her faith in me, and in doing so, I actually started to like myself.

"And as for the rest...well, your concerns are valid. You guys have more issues than we did, and it's possible you won't reach the point we have. I mean, my wife and I still run into plenty of issues, some pretty major. We're both human, and we've never stopped being who we are. Sheena is still the most frustratingly stubborn, independent woman I've ever met, and that _has_ caused us problems. It probably always will. She tends to make decisions without consulting me first, not because she doesn't value my opinion, but because it doesn't occur to her to tell me something she thinks only affects her and that she can handle herself. It's especially problematic when it really _does_ affect me, only she didn't realize that until too late. I've just had to accept that's who she is and that she doesn't do it to hurt me. It doesn't stop it from hurting or frustrating me whenever it happens, but at least I know she's aware of the problem and is working on it. And me...well, we both know my shortcomings. I've made plenty of dumb choices that have pissed her off. And, worse, I've made choices for _Mizuho_ that have pissed her off. From my perspective they were the right ones to make, but she didn't see it the same way. Not to mention I really can be a lazy bum at times and not take things seriously. There again, though, she knows I don't do it to hurt her, not that that stops it from happening. We just view things differently and have different ways of achieving our goals that don't always mesh."

Zelos motioned at his alternate's wedding ring. "And yet you're obviously still together."

He nodded. "It's taken a lot of work, conversation, and compromise, but yeah, we are. In fact, issues like those always seem to make us stronger once we've worked through them. Love doesn't take away all our problems, but it does serve as the glue that keeps us together long enough to discuss those problems, work through them, and reach a solution. Always keep that in mind, because if your relationship lasts, you'll have to deal with the same eventually."

Wow, he really had matured when it came to relationships, hadn't he? But then, he supposed being married that long brought with it a number of major life lessons. At least Zelos knew this other him _had_ learned from them, used them to grow, and figured out how to keep his marriage going. It was encouraging, and he hoped one day he could do the same, whether it was with Sheena or someone else. "Good to know."

"Also keep in mind that for as different as you two are, you also have a lot in common," his doppelganger went on. "I, personally, have yet to meet anyone who understands my guilt and regret over hurting those I care about the way Sheena does. Don't forget what happened to Mizuho because of her. And I don't know if she told you about everything that happened with Orochi, but that's yet another thing she's struggling with."

Zelos's heart sank. Oh, how he wished she hadn't had to go through that and have to live with the resulting emotional scars he suspected would never completely heal. "Yeah, she told me about how he died and how guilty she feels about it."

His alternate's eyebrow flew upward. "Wow, she did already, huh? And I didn't even have to prod her to. Good. I'm glad she told you, because that's something _you_ need to know about _her_. It'll probably haunt her the rest of her life the way some of the things you've done will haunt you. Don't lose sight of that, how similar you two are in that way. Use her strength, and lend her yours. You'll both need it."

"And yet it's all worth it, huh?" Zelos said.

The other 'him' grinned, but his eyes were soft. "You'd better believe it. The good and the bad...in the end, it's all worth it. I'm glad you'll get to experience it now, too."

He released a low sigh and looked up at the guest room on the second floor. "Assuming it lasts."

His alternate nodded curtly, conceding that. "Assuming it lasts. But since you've been through so much crap together and have already seen each other at your worst, there's a good chance it will." He gave Zelos a pointed look. "Don't waste it."

Zelos smiled. He suspected in the upcoming weeks he would need all of these reminders to keep him from walking away when things got rough. "I won't. Thanks for the advice."

The other 'him' mirrored his smile. "Don't worry, you two will make it. Just don't give up on her, and she won't give up on you. And don't lose sight of the future you both want." Zelos nodded, and his alternate motioned at him. "Anyway, you look exhausted."

Big surprise there, given everything he'd been through lately. Zelos rubbed his neck. "Heh. I've barely slept this past week. Ever since that morning you showed up here, in fact."

"I'm not surprised. Get to bed and get some sleep." He grinned. "Your future awaits you tomorrow."

That wasn't a bad idea. Maybe now he would be able to. "I think I will. What about you?"

"Me? Eh, I'll just crash on the couch tonight and then head back to Mizuho in the morning."

"Okay. Then I'll see you in the morning." And with that, Zelos gave him one last grateful smile and turned and headed back upstairs to his room, his mind racing and his hopes soaring, for the moment drowning out his lingering doubts. He may not know yet what tomorrow would bring, but at least he now knew he was no longer alone in this crazy life.

And it was a really, really good feeling.

0~*~0


	9. Day 7: The Alternates

**Day 7: The Alternates**

For years, Sheena had suffered from recurring nightmares—the Volt tragedy, Corrine's death, her people's poisoning, and Orochi dying before her eyes being the main ones. She'd often dreaded trying to sleep at night, and many nights she'd found herself struggling with insomnia simply because of her fear of what awaited her when she closed her eyes.

But now, for the first time in years, she was actually sleeping peacefully, and she was dreaming surprisingly good dreams about a handsome redhead, dreams that were hazy yet beautiful and brought with them a sense of immense warmth, security, and hope. She couldn't pinpoint much, but he was there, and she was there, and they were walking together through a forest with a gorgeous blue sky overhead, and he was holding her hand, and he was just...he was smiling _that smile_ , the one that told her he was truly happy, that she _made_ him happy, and then he was wrapping his arm around her and pulling her close and brushing his fingers against her face and pressing his lips to hers...

 _Pound pound pound_ _pound pound_.

Her eyes flew open at the unexpected—and definitely unwanted—sound. Realizing she had been asleep, and that she was in Zelos's guest room, and that it was barely even light out, she mumbled to herself about the stupid noise level in his mansion, turned over onto her other side, and closed her eyes, eager to return to her dream.

_Pound pound pound pound pound._

With a sigh, her eyes cracked open and darted at the window again...nope, she'd been right before: dawn had only just broken. Seriously, who would be knocking on her door at this hour, especially after it had taken her all night to fall asleep thanks to the previous night's excitement? Still unwilling to lose the pleasurable feelings from her dream, she grabbed a pillow, covered her head, and closed her eyes again. Thankfully, that time silence followed, and she was just about to drift off again when...

_Pound pound pound pound pound._

And, even worse, that time Zelos's voice accompanied it. "Sheena? Sheena, are you up?"

She groaned into the pillow. Apparently her fantasy and the reality didn't match. "Le'me 'lone, Zel's. 'M sleep'ng."

"C'mon, sweetheart, you need to get up." She laid still, hoping if she was quiet long enough that he'd think she'd fallen back asleep and would leave her to her oh-so-sweet dreams. And just when she was becoming hopeful he'd given up...

_Pound pound pound pound pound._

"Sheena?"

Agh, the man refused to give up, didn't he? With a frustrated growl, she threw the covers off of her, grabbed the robe she'd found in the room last night, slipped it on, and stomped toward the door, cracking it open. "Zelos, if during the past few years you've become one of those pesky, perky early birds who wants to go for a run at dawn or stroll through the empty streets singing at the top of your lungs, I'm gonna have to reconsider dating you."

His responding smirk in no way amused her, and his soft laugh as he said, "Good morning to you too, sweetheart," made her want to throttle him. But fortunately he caught the evil, unamused glare she shot him and his smirk quickly faltered. Clearing his throat, he held up a piece of paper, his face growing serious. "You need to read this."

"This better be damn good," she muttered, snatching the paper from him and turning it so the words were right side up, quickly skimming the page.

*~0~*

_Hey guys,_

_I didn't want to bother you since you were both up so late last night and needed the sleep, so I headed back to Mizuho on my own, just in case the Rheaird back to my universe leaves from there first thing in the morning. So if I don't see you again, I just wanted to say 'Congratulations' and tell you how happy I am for you both. You've already overcome some horrible odds, and I can't help thinking if you've made it this far, then with a little work (and PATIENCE, Sheena—seriously, work on it), you'll be just fine._

_Just no more wish tags, okay? I doubt my wife would be willing to lend me out like this again, especially after Kidlet #2 is born and our household workload doubles._

_In all seriousness, though, I wish you both the best with wherever your new life takes you. And if you ever get a chance, drop us a line. I'm sure my wife would agree that we have a vested interest in your future._

_Zelos_

*~0~*

Zelos arched an eyebrow at her. "Still gonna beat me up or dump me for waking you?"

Sheena looked up at him, her heart melting. Of course not. In fact, she was extremely grateful that he'd woken her even when she'd resisted; he'd clearly recognized that she would want to see the other 'him' one last time before it was too late. Granted, it might _still_ be too late, but at least there was still a chance—a better one than if he'd let her sleep another hour or two. "No. Let me get dressed and we can get out of here, see if we can catch him before he leaves." She handed him the note, headed back into her room, and threw on her clothes. Fifteen minutes later they were on their way to Mizuho in hopes of saying goodbye before he returned to his own life for good.

0~*~0

"Zelos?" Sheena called out as she burst into her home, looking around.

They had used Zelos's Rheaird to get to Mizuho in hopes of catching up with his alternate, but it quickly became obvious he wasn't there; even with his angel senses, Zelos couldn't hear anyone else in the house. His alternate's note had been left atop the chessboard and had been the first thing Zelos had seen when he'd headed downstairs earlier—he hadn't gotten as much sleep last night as he needed, what with his brain still operating on overdrive, but it had at least been some—but he had no way of knowing when the guy had left. Were they too late?

A minute later, Sheena's face fell as she clearly reached the same disappointing conclusion he had, but despite that, she tried again anyway. "Zelos?"

Zelos followed her inside. He had never seen this place before; he hadn't visited her since the worlds were reunited, but he had at least heard she'd been given a house because she'd mentioned it at that last New Year's party when all hell had broken loose. Looking around, he found himself comforted—and amazed—by the fact that she was letting him inside now without any hesitation or warnings for him not to get any ideas. Positive the other 'him' wasn't here, he opted to wait in the living room, examining everything around him, while Sheena checked the other rooms to be sure. This place looked like her, he soon realized; it was a warm, homey, comfortable, simple space influenced by nature and her unique culture. He liked it. Heading toward the bookshelf near the door, his eye caught on something on the dining room table: a piece of paper with their names on it. Since Sheena hadn't noticed it, he figured it wouldn't hurt to check it out himself, so he picked it up.

"Ah, Sheena? You should see this."

She emerged from a nearby room and headed toward him. "What did you find?"

He held up the paper. "Looks like he left us a note talking about Minister Giannovio and Matthew Fenimore, apparently something they've been up to the past few years..." His jaw dropped as he read the first few bulleted points. "Wait a minute, those two are doing _what_ to the Sylvaranti people?!"

Sheena's eyes narrowed as she took the note from him. "I don't know. He mentioned them a few times this past week...something about an illness hitting the Sylvaranti people?"

"That's the impression I got from what little I just read," Zelos muttered, taking it back from her. "If he's right that those two are responsible for that illness, then I am _definitely_ going to have to look into it and have a little chat with the king." He skimmed the rest of the points. "Oh. Nice. He even told us how we can get rid of them. That's helpful."

"While I'm still not sure who Matthew Fenimore is, I'm all for getting rid of Giannovio," she murmured.

Zelos looked back down at the note, his eyes falling on a postscript at the end. "He also mentioned something about a kid named...Michi?"

Sheena's eyes widened in obvious surprise and snapped back to his. "What does it say about him?"

"It says he found him, alive and well. Didn't talk to him because the kid must not know him here, but he wanted you to know."

Without warning, Sheena snatched the note back from him, quickly rereading it, her lips parted and eyes still wide; she must have missed that bit the first time. "Sybak...it says Michi is a student at the academy there. He's...he's _alive_! But why is he _there_? Why didn't he ever come back here?!"

Zelos shrugged, glad to see Sheena's face briefly alight with happiness again. "Sorry, can't answer that. I don't even know who he is."

"I'll have to go see him, try to get him to come back...and tell him about everything that's happened here the past few years," she said, although her eyes darkened as she spoke. Whoever the kid was, he must not know about the sad state Mizuho was currently in, Zelos deduced—and chances were he wouldn't be happy about it. After a moment, she set the note back down on the table and turned around, looking around her home, her voice—and her face—falling further. "So we really did miss him, then."

Zelos looked up at her, his heart sinking at her disappointment. He was just about to apologize for not waking up sooner when the main door suddenly opened. "Miss who?"

And then there he was, waltzing through the door as if he owned the place—which Zelos supposed he kinda did. Instantly, Sheena's face lit up as she saw him and whispered his name—and Zelos was pretty sure he'd be jealous except he knew the guy was leaving soon and would pose no further threat to him and his budding relationship with the woman of his dreams. Not, of course, that his alternate would give up his wife for her...unless, of course, he _wanted_ to be married to two different Sheenas. It was a thought Zelos couldn't help contemplating. That...really would be amazing, actually. Of course, two Sheenas could also cause him double the pain if they were to gang up against him, and the jealousy factor involved with having two violent banshees possessively trying to keep him for themselves was a bit deterring...okay, so maybe being married to two Sheenas really _wasn't_ such a great idea after all.

But that was currently neither here nor there. Instead, Zelos was surprised—and, okay, _maybe_ a little jealous, too—when Sheena hurried toward his alternate and threw her arms around him, hugging him tightly. "I was afraid you'd already left," she said.

The other 'him' likewise seemed surprised by her action, but he quickly recovered and returned her hug. "Nah, not yet. I was just saying goodbye to Tiga and the villagers." She pulled back—fortunately, the hug didn't last _overly_ long—and his alternate smiled first at her, then at him. "I wasn't expecting you two back here already. You were out late last night, so I figured you'd want to sleep in."

Sheena motioned at Zelos. "This guy found your note and woke me. We came here right away."

Zelos shrugged as Sheena stepped away from his alternate and, to his surprise, walked over to stand beside him. "I figured she'd want to see you one last time before you went home."

"Well, I'm glad you did," his doppelganger said. "I just didn't want to take any chances, seeing as Verius didn't indicate when or where my ride home would leave." He grinned and motioned at them. "Anyway, like I was telling this guy last night, I'm glad to see you two worked everything out."

Instantly, Sheena smiled and nodded, glancing shyly—yet excitedly—at Zelos. It was a look of pure happiness that he'd never expected to see from her, and yet he now wanted to see it again and again, especially since it meant she was as excited as he was that they were now a couple. "Yeah, we did," she said, the softness in her voice making his heart skip a beat. "We're gonna give it a try and see what happens."

"Maybe it'll work; maybe it won't," Zelos said, returning her smile. "But I'm looking forward to finding out."

"Me, too," she murmured.

His alternate's grin broadened. "I'm happy for you guys. I guarantee it'll take a lot of hard work, but it's still the most amazing, rewarding thing that's ever happened to me. Hopefully the same will hold true for you. Just remember: open and honest communication is _key_. Well, that and patience, understanding, and the ability to look at an issue through your partner's eyes and find a way to compromise to the point where, even if you don't both get exactly what you wanted, you're still satisfied with the outcome. If you don't do that, you're setting yourself up for the _really_ big problems. And—"

But before he could finish, he was cut off by a sudden flash of light originating from the doorway to a room Zelos assumed was Sheena's bedroom. Everyone lifted their hands to shield their eyes from the glare, but a second later it vanished, gone as quickly as it had come. And once it was gone...

Zelos's eyes widened. His initial thought had been that Verius had arrived to escort his alternate home, but instead what he saw was another Sheena—one he quickly realized was heavily pregnant. And beside her, holding her hand tightly, was... _oh, Martel_. Beside her was the most precious little girl Zelos had ever seen. Her hair was long, black, and wavy; her face was almost an exact replica of Sheena's, only younger and fairer in coloring; and she had bright blue eyes that looked exactly like his own—only sleepier, as if she'd just woken up.

...It was love at first sight.

The girl's eyes widened as she looked around the room, taking in everything, but the instant she spotted Zelos's alternate, her face lit up with unbridled excitement. It was the most beautiful smile Zelos had ever seen, and his heart leapt and tugged at the sight. And suddenly it hit him: this beautiful, amazing little girl was _his_ daughter. Well, kind of.

"Daddy!" the girl exclaimed, tugging her hand from her mother's and running—well, _toddling_ —over to him.

The other Zelos's face likewise lit up with pure happiness. "Hey there!" And then he scooped her up in his arms with a soft, " _C'mere, my little butterfly_ ," and pulled her into a tight hug, squeezing his eyes shut as she latched her little arms around him. "Oh, sweetie, I missed you so much!" Pulling back just a little, he gave her a kiss on her cheek, and then resumed hugging her.

"Miss you, Daddy," the girl murmured against his chest.

Zelos's eyes darted at the other Sheena as the father and daughter hugged. She was smiling softly as she headed toward them, carrying a baby bag, likely to keep her daughter entertained, meaning she'd expected to come here; it looked like a struggle for her to move considering how pregnant she was. She looked a bit older and more dignified than 'his' Sheena, her face slightly fuller and her dark hair pulled loosely behind her, a platinum necklace with a ring with a purple flower on it looped through it hanging from her neck—undoubtedly her wedding ring, he figured—but there was one thing in particular about her that Zelos couldn't help noticing and marveling over: whether it was the pregnancy or just her, she was absolutely radiant. She was _glowing_. It was incredibly beautiful—and, well, incredibly _hot_ when he considered whose child she was pregnant with.

Finally breaking the hug, Zelos's alternate looked down at his daughter, still beaming and holding her close to him. "So have you been good for Mommy this past week?"

"I good!" the little girl said, nodding brightly.

The other 'Zelos' watched her a moment closely, love and adoration in his gaze that Zelos completely understood, but then his eyes narrowed a bit. "Hmm...maybe I should ask _Mommy_ that question instead." His eyes finally lifted to 'his' Sheena's, still shining with love, and he arched a prompting eyebrow at her.

The other Sheena chuckled. "Yeah, she's been good...mostly."

"Aw, yeah, that's what Daddy likes to hear!" her husband said, his face brightening even further as he kissed the girl's cheek again.

The girl giggled again. "Daddy silly!"

"You have no idea how right you are about that, sweetie," the other Sheena said, but there was unmistakable love in her voice as she looked at the two.

The other Zelos's eyes lifted to his wife's. "Hi."

She returned his smile warmly. "Hi."

Still holding the little girl close to him, the other Zelos wrapped his other arm around his wife and pulled her close for a brief but sweet kiss, followed by a hug. "I missed you, too," he whispered, holding her to him, so softly that Zelos barely heard him. "So, so much."

"Same here," she replied, just as softly.

He held her another moment before releasing her, giving her another oh-so-happy smile, and then placing his free hand on her protruding abdomen. "And how are you two doing?"

His wife sighed, but Zelos's heart skipped a beat as he saw her cover her husband's hand with hers. "We're okay. I'm more than ready to be done with this pregnancy thing, though. My back and hips are killing me; I can't wait to get you home so I can get a massage."

He nodded. "I will be happy to oblige once we're home."

"Yeah, thought you might," she murmured. "Oh, and your son has decided that midnight is the best time to practice his fancy dance steps. The past four nights in a row he's been completely restless and is constantly waking me up. I think he's as ready to be born as I am _for_ him to be born."

Zelos's alternate smirked. "You mean _she_ , right? Our soon-to-be-born _daughter_?"

She rolled her eyes. "How many times do I have to tell you, dear? It's gonna be a boy."

"And _I_ keep telling you I want another precious little girl like this one!" he countered, giving his daughter another kiss on her cheek, eliciting another giggle from her. "I want to be surrounded by an entire brood of beautiful girls who look exactly like their mother!"

"Just because it's what you _want_ doesn't mean it's going to _happen_ , y'know." She gave him a vaguely irritated—yet definitely amused—glare. "And for the record, that never stops sounding creepy coming from you."

Her husband ignored that, choosing instead to arch an unconvinced eyebrow. "Have you run any tests yet to find out for certain it'll be a boy? _Nooooooo_ , didn't think so."

She scowled. "I don't _have_ to! I just _know_!"

But as Zelos expected he would've done in the situation—because getting a rise out of Sheena always had been immensely entertaining—his alternate just smirked again. "You keep telling yourself that, sweetheart."

She rolled her eyes again, but that didn't mask the fact that her smile was broadening and she was obviously trying to hold back her laughter at his antics. "Well, I guess you'll find out soon, won't you? And besides, what are you going to do if it's _not_ a girl? Give him up for adoption?"

His smirk softened. "Of course not. I will love him just as much as I love this little one." He grinned down at his daughter before kissing her cheek again, making her squeal in delight; she must be ticklish there, Zelos deduced.

"Yeah, that's what I thought," the other Sheena replied, her voice likewise softening.

Zelos's alternate observed the little girl another moment, still smiling sappily, before looking back at his wife, his face suddenly scrutinizing. "So seriously, you guys are all okay?"

She smiled. "We're fine, Zelos. Really. Verius took good care of us. I would never trade you for him, but he filled in nicely."

The little girl began bouncing in her father's arms. "Ver-Ver! Ver-Ver!"

The other Zelos's eyes, which had softened at his wife's surprisingly direct statement, suddenly sparkled with amusement as he looked down at his daughter. "'Ver-Ver'?"

The alternate Sheena chuckled. "She really liked him."

"Oh, yeah, big shocker there: a colorful, talking summon spirit fox mesmerizing our easily entranced daughter," he muttered, grinning wryly. "Nothing like that has _ever_ happened before."

"I think she's going to miss having him around all the time."

"We'll have to see if we can get her a stuffed animal that looks like him or else I suspect we'll never hear the end of her pleadings for him to come back."

She nodded curtly. "I was thinking the same."

Zelos's alternate eyed his daughter another moment before looking back up at his wife. "So what are you guys doing here? I'm definitely not complaining, but I was expecting Verius to show up and take me home, not for you guys to come get me."

The other Sheena smiled and shrugged. "I asked if we could come see you here before he brought you back. He agreed, thinking it might be helpful if I had a chance to talk with the...um...other versions of us."

"Ah," her husband replied, his smirk returning. "In other words, you wanted to check out my handiwork here, eh?"

Her eyes, for perhaps the first time since she had arrived, finally jumped to Sheena, and then to Zelos. She folded her arms to her chest and mirrored her husband's smirk. " _Handiwork_. _Riiiight_. I should've known you'd hook me up with _you_ again in this world. I just can't escape you, can I?"

The other Zelos lifted his free hand, feigning offense. "Oh, c'mon, it's not like _I_ was my first choice here! I still think you would've been more deserving of someone far better than _me_. But I had a _week_ here; that's not exactly enough time to interview every guy on the planet to find a suitable replacement."

She snorted softly. "No, I suppose not."

He shrugged. "Besides, 'Ver-Ver' made it very clear you were happy with me, so despite my very definite, very legitimate reservations, I went with the one person I knew at least loved you as much as I did and would give anything in the world for you." He lifted his eyes to Zelos's and smirked again. "Granted, he was even more messed up than I ever was..."

...Wait, what? He'd thought they were on the same side here! Zelos gave him an affronted look. "Hey!"

His alternate shrugged innocently. "Sorry, but you were. I'm not gonna sugarcoat it. Besides, it's nothing that a few months of being with Sheena can't fix."

Zelos didn't blush easily, but he could feel his face growing warm at that—and beside him he could see Sheena's cheeks likewise blossoming a vibrant red, although her smile indicated that while she was embarrassed, she wouldn't argue it, either. The alternate Sheena chuckled and shook her head. "Well, Verius has already told me quite a bit of it, but I still want to hear your take on everything that happened here when we get home." She looked back at her husband. "And you think there's hope for them?"

The other 'him' smiled— _sincerely_ smiled—as he looked from Zelos to Sheena and then back again. "I _know_ there is. I mean, the other 'you' is already letting him touch her and kiss her without beating him to a bloody pulp. That's huge improvement from where they were when I first got here."

His wife's face sank a little. "I take it things really were that bad between them, eh? I had hoped Verius had been exaggerating about that."

"You have no idea." His eyes darted at her. "Remind me later to tell you how much I love you and how glad I am that we never had to go through what they did."

She gave her husband an appreciative smile, but before she could say anything, Sheena folded her arms to her chest, clearly growing irritated with their conversation. "Y'know, guys, we're standing right here." Zelos was surprised—and actually impressed—that she didn't try to defend why she always used to punish him like that, not that he would try to justify everything he'd done to her. If these two weren't _them_ , he'd be uncomfortable having someone else know so much about his personal life and all the dumb decisions he'd made, but they were essentially the same people and so he'd have to just grin and bear it.

Zelos's alternate gave her a sheepish smile. "Sorry." He opened his mouth to say more, but before he could, his daughter, who was now staring across the room at Zelos and Sheena, her blue eyes wide, suddenly started tugging on his shirt. He looked down at her curiously. "What is it, baby girl?"

She leaned further into him and pointed at them. "Who dat?"

Her father smiled. "It's okay. They're friends. Family, actually. I know, it's weird that they look just like Mommy and Daddy, but they're not us. Your mother and I are right here. You can trust these people; they won't hurt you." His eyebrows rose as she looked up at him questioningly, yet with a level of pure trust in her eyes that made Zelos's heart ache, hoping one day he might have a child look at him like that. "Do you want to go say 'hi'?"

The little girl quickly shook her head and buried her face against his chest, though, peering warily at her parents' look-alikes. Her mother gave them an apologetic smile. "Don't take it personally; she's always been extremely shy around strangers." She tilted her head, reconsidering that. "Well, at least she is until she gets to know them and becomes comfortable with them, and then she turns into a chatterbox, just like her father. It'll probably take her a bit with you guys seeing as...well, you two look exactly like us."

Sheena smiled faintly, observing the little girl as if she was the most beautiful thing she'd ever seen...a sentiment Zelos shared. "It's okay," she said. "I'm sure this must be confusing for her, having two sets of people here who look exactly like her parents."

The alternate Zelos grinned. "Give her a few minutes; I'm sure she'll warm up to you soon. Until then, though...do I need to introduce everyone?"

"I don't think that'll be necessary," Sheena said, shaking her head. She turned to her alternate and smiled. "It's nice to finally meet you. I've heard a lot about you...and about how similar and different we apparently are."

The other Sheena returned her smile. "Same here. Verius has told me a lot about you." Her eyes snapped to Zelos. "That applies to you, too, Zelos."

And suddenly, Zelos found himself speechless, uncertain what to say or how to feel about everything that was happening, about the little girl in his doppelganger's arms, about this woman who essentially _was_ Sheena who looked so calm and happy and was pregnant with _his_ child. He hadn't even figured out how to _greet_ her yet when, without warning, the words popped out of his mouth, voicing a nagging doubt he'd been struggling with for days now. "So...you two really have been married almost six years now, eh?"

"Yeah, we have," she said with a curt nod, then motioned at her husband. "I don't know how much this guy's told you, but whatever it is, it's true. Impossible as it might seem."

"It's not as impossible as I thought when he first got here," Sheena murmured, giving Zelos a sheepish smile.

The other 'her' smiled. "I can only imagine how weird that must've been for you."

"'Weird' is one way of putting it. But I think I'm finally getting used to the idea."

Zelos returned her smile, but then he shrugged. "I don't know, _you_ may be getting used to the idea, sweetheart, but _I'm_ still rather amazed by it." His eyes snapped back to the other Sheena and trailed down her pregnant body. This was a dumb comment to make, but saying dumb things was a natural reaction for him when he was confused and uncomfortable and was trying to hide his feelings, intentionally or not. "Although I have to say, Sheena, you are really _hot_ when you're pregnant."

In the blink of an eye, both Sheenas looked sharply at him, zero amusement in their eyes. Next to him, Sheena smacked his arm, hard, in a way that brought back a whole lot of painful memories, and the alternate Sheena motioned at him. "Mind throwing in one for me, too?"

"Gladly."

"Ow, hey!" Zelos said, pulling his arm away from her and giving her an affronted look. "What?! That's a _compliment_! I'm not being facetious!" He motioned at his alternate. If anyone here would support him, it would be _him_. "Oh, c'mon, tell me you weren't thinking the same!"

"Of course I was thinking it," the other him replied with a shrug. "Sheena is, and always will be, the hottest woman I've ever met. I've just learned that sometimes keeping my mouth shut when it comes to thoughts like those results in an awful lot less pain for me." He looked at his wife and smirked. "Besides, she knows _very_ well what I think of her."

The alternate Sheena blushed and gave him a warning glare tinged with shyness. "Yes, I do." He grinned before giving her a brief kiss that she didn't refuse. "A...anyway, dear," she quickly went on, clearing her throat, "Verius recommended that I bring you something." She bent down, rummaged through her bag for a moment, and then pulled out a set of clothes.

His eyes widened with delight as he took them from her. "Oh, _finally_! I can start feeling _normal_ again!"

"Yeah, thought you'd like that." She stood again and motioned at his attire. "It's been awhile since I've seen you looking like this."

"I kinda...borrowed...this from the other 'me' the past week." His eyes snapped to Zelos's. "Thanks again for that, by the way. I know I didn't give you a choice, but I'm grateful for it anyway. Now that I have my _real_ clothes again, you'll get these back."

Zelos nodded. Sure, he'd been pissed at first about this guy _stealing his clothes_ , but now...well, now he'd actually forgotten those _were_ his clothes. "They were a small price to pay for everything that came of it."

His alternate gave him an appreciative smile, then looked down at his daughter and set her on her feet, despite her protests and pleas for him to pick her up again. "Sorry, sweetie, I have to go change. Can you stay here with Mommy? I'll be back in a minute. Okay?"

She eyed him a moment unhappily, but then she nodded and latched onto her mother's leg, giving Zelos and Sheena another uncertain look. The alternate Sheena's hand immediately drifted down to stroke the girl's hair comfortingly as her father gave her one last smile and then headed into an adjacent room.

Sheena watched the alternate Zelos vanish inside before turning back to the other 'her'. "Um, I'm gonna follow him...if you don't mind? I've already seen him dressed in less, and...well, I was hoping to talk to him before you left."

Her alternate smiled. "Go ahead. I actually wanted to talk to this guy," she motioned at Zelos, "for a minute anyway."

For a moment, Zelos just watched her, his eyes widening in surprise, but then he looked at 'his' Sheena as she nodded and headed toward the bedroom. He wasn't entirely sure he was happy about her entering a room in which another guy was changing, not to mention finding out she'd already seen him half naked...whenever that had happened. He knew he had no reason to be jealous, but again he could feel the inklings of it. But then, if the guy's _wife_ didn't mind, and if the guy was technically _him_...agh, this whole thing was so damn confusing. There were just too many versions of everybody! Hopefully things would make more sense once their alternates had left.

Sheena, thankfully not privy to his confused thoughts, knocked on the door frame, whispered, "Zelos, can I come in?" and then, hearing his response, stepped inside.

At that point the remaining Sheena looked at him, smiled, and stepped closer to him, urging her daughter to do the same—which the girl did, eyeing Zelos warily. And suddenly Zelos wasn't sure he wanted to be alone with this woman. He didn't know her, but she knew him...it was weird, and creepy, and, in a way, pretty damn _hot_ , too, because she really was glowing. She was Sheena, but she _wasn't_. She looked the same—mostly—but she _held_ herself differently. She seemed softer, more dignified, confident, happy, and _peaceful._ He liked it, but it was weird, too, because he wasn't sure what to say to her; his usual methods of dealing with her no longer applied. This must be how Sheena had felt with his alternate the past few days. This woman knew him in ways only a wife knew her husband, and yet she didn't know _him_ or everything he'd been through.

And then there was the little girl clinging to her who he was having trouble not staring at. She was the most amazing, beautiful, precious girl he'd ever seen, and he couldn't help wondering if he was looking at a picture of his own future. If he and Sheena made it to the point these two had, would they one day have a dark-haired angel who looked like this, a mirror image of them both? It amazed him how much he wanted it; he had never given much thought to being a parent before, other than making a point to prevent it with his hunnies, but everything was different now. Now, looking at this little girl, he wanted her in his life, desperately, to watch her grow and teach her everything she needed to know.

"Your daughter is beautiful," he finally said, his eyes darting up at Sheena's.

Her smile softened as she looked down at the girl. "Thanks."

And suddenly he couldn't help himself. While he'd never been enamored of children, he'd never minded them, either, and experience had shown they didn't mind him, either. He knelt down in front of her, keeping enough distance between them so he wouldn't scare or intimidate her. After all, as Sheena had said, having two sets of her parents around was probably weird and confusing for her; there was no need to aggravate that. And fortunately, while the little girl's eyes widened as she looked at him, she didn't back away. "What's your name?" he asked her.

Sheena's eyebrows flew upward. "He never told you?"

Zelos shrugged. "It never came up, and I never asked."

"Ah." Reaching down, she gently urged the girl toward him, giving her a reassuring smile. "It's okay, you can tell him. Go on."

The girl looked up at her, then down at Zelos, and then suddenly she grasped onto her mother tighter. "Sophia," she mumbled, her mouth half-buried against Sheena's leg.

...His heart stopped. For a moment Zelos could only gape at her, stunned, wondering if he'd heard her correctly. Once he realized he had, though, his eyes widened and darted up Sheena, who just smiled knowingly, and he slowly stood up again. "Sophia was my—"

She nodded. "I know. I thought it appropriate to name the first Wilder child born into a life of freedom after the woman who'd indirectly helped shape you into the man you are. You may never have met her, but she still influenced you to seek that freedom, not just for yourself, but for your entire family. Besides, I know how much she meant to you."

Oh, Martel. Not only had they named their daughter after a woman he'd always wished he could have met, but she was saying _she_ had chosen that name for her. He swallowed hard, fighting back a sudden, unexpected wave of tears. "She would've liked that," he whispered.

Sheena gave him another warm smile. "I expect she would have, considering everything my husband's told me about her."

Zelos looked back down at the girl, who was still watching him carefully but not shrinking away from him as much as she had been a bit ago, but then he returned his eyes to her mother's. "Heh. I still can't believe you married an idiot like me. And that you're actually _happy_ with me."

She pulled a face. "Why are you so surprised by that?"

...Huh? Had she really expected him to _not_ be surprised by that? "How can I not be? I'm not exactly the greatest catch. Your husband was right: you deserve better than me."

Sheena sighed, her smile falling. "You always have sold yourself short, even in my world. Or at least my husband _used_ to, although he's definitely gotten better about that. And the thing is, you _shouldn't_ doubt yourself or your worth so much, because there's no reason for it. I know you have self-esteem issues—we all do, my husband, me, and I'm sure your version of me, too—but if there's one thing I've learned about you these past few years, Zelos, it's that you are capable of so much more than you think you are."

Zelos gave her a sardonic grin. "That's easy for you to say. Your husband was never as 'messed up' as I am. You obviously haven't heard everything I did to my Sheena here. If you had, I somehow doubt you'd be saying that."

"You're right, I haven't heard everything, but Verius told me enough," she replied. "And yes, you messed up pretty badly here. But that doesn't erase the fact that you're a good man, Zelos, and you have a good heart. I saw that years ago, back when we first met, and while you did some questionable things after that that made me back away from you, the fact is that you did them _because_ you had a good heart, because you loved me and wanted me to find the best life I could. You just didn't think that 'best life' could include you, which is where you were wrong. Once I saw that, it changed my entire way of looking at you. I haven't doubted you or your intentions since. You may not have handled every situation the best, but you _realized_ you hadn't, and you worked to change it, and...well, need I remind you that I married you? Or at least _my '_ you'?"

He smiled faintly—no, he supposed he really couldn't forget that, could he?—but she went on before he could reply to that. "No matter what you did here, I have no doubt that your version of me has already recognized the same that I did. Have some faith in yourself. Regardless of what you think of yourself now, you _are_ a good man. I'm not just saying that; I _know_ it, because I've _seen_ it, time and time again. You're capable of so much love and goodness you don't even realize you are, probably because you've never been in a situation where you could see it in yourself the way I have. My husband must have seen something similar or he never would've involved you in this, considering how possessive and protective he is of me. It's impossible for you to have changed so drastically the past few years that you're no longer the man you used to be, the man I fell in love with. And that means you _are_ him, Zelos. We may have just met, but I have no doubt about that."

His face was warm; his head was spinning; his heart was pounding. She meant that. Her faith in him was astounding, and inspiring, and he couldn't help but be touched by it—and hopeful that she was right. He had no idea how to respond to that other than a shy smile and a murmured, "Thanks."

Her smile briefly broadened, but then she gave him a pointed look. "Just be sure you let her see the real you, okay? I can't emphasize that enough. Let down your mask with her; don't hide behind it or be afraid to be yourself. Tell her about your past, about Shirley, about your parents, about your upbringing and how the Church used to treat you, about what your mother's death did to you...tell her all of it. Trust her. Please. I fell in love with the _real_ Zelos Wilder, not the mask. It'll be the same for her. In fact, I expect it's already started happening if she's giving you this chance. So keep it up. People _will_ like you for who you are. Just ask my husband. He has real friends in Mizuho, and that only happened because he took some chances and was himself with the villagers. And knowing someone accepted him for who he was, not who he always pretended to be, helped him come to terms with and accept himself. I want you to have that, too. I know it's hard; it certainly was for him. He struggled with it at times, and it took him awhile to find a balance, especially with our friends. But the fact that he was constantly trying and taking steps forward made all the difference to me since I knew he was doing it, no matter how hard it was, because he knew I wanted to see it."

Zelos swallowed hard. His chest was getting tight. So...the other 'him' had been right about that, eh? Incredibly enough, it really had had an impact on Sheena. Well, then, he had no choice, did he? "Yeah, he pretty much told me the same. I'll work on it."

She nodded curtly. "Good. And by all means, be _patient_ with her. She has a lot of issues, too. I sure do. As much as I hate to admit it, my husband's usual assessment of me is right: I'm stubborn, and bossy, and I'm not always good at controlling my temper, and I probably try to be more independent than I should. I've messed up a lot; I've made assumptions that hurt us both. There were a lot of things I should've said and done differently, things I should've told him instead of trying to hide them and handle them myself. To this day it amazes me that he's stuck with me after some of the things I've done. When we first got married, we tried to set up rules for ourselves, to keep us focused on what was important and what we both wanted, and while they've helped us through some tough times, they don't always work, because in the heat of the moment, it's easy to forget about them. But the bottom line is, even though we have issues and always will, we work on them. We've learned how to listen to each other— _really_ listen—and compromise. And we know we're good together. We're happy in a way we'd never be otherwise. Hearing about everything you and the other 'me' has been through has only strengthened my belief in that. We both want the same things, and we're working together for a common cause." She looked down at Sophia, who had begun looking around the room, growing antsy and fidgeting with her mother's robe, and stroked her fine black hair, smiling softly. "And even if we didn't love each other so much, Sophia is more than enough reason for us to keep trying until we figure it out."

He had no idea how to respond to that, but he did appreciate the advice. And the way Sheena looked at her daughter, with the kind of love and adoration that every child deserved from their parents...it made his heart skip a beat. This woman was a good mother. A child couldn't ask for more than to have two parents who loved them that much...it was what he'd always wished he'd had, and he suddenly knew, if he and his Sheena made it that far, this was how she would be with their child. It told him everything he needed to know about her _,_ and so he would take this woman's advice and use it to get him and his Sheena to that same point.

"I'll keep all of that in mind," he said. "Thanks."

Sophia suddenly began tugging on Sheena's robe, and Sheena looked down at her daughter questioningly. "What is it, Sophia?"

The little girl looked up at her with wide blue eyes. "Momma, home soon?"

Sheena gave her a warm smile. "We'll go home in a little bit." Suddenly, her face lit up and she reached into the bag, pulling out an adorable teddy bear and handing it to the girl. "Hey, why don't you show your bear to this nice man who looks like Daddy?"

Sophia took the bear from her mother, then watched Zelos a moment uncertainly before walking toward him and holding it up, her face lighting up. "Kuma-san!"

...If he'd been an ice cube, he would've just melted. He couldn't help grinning as he knelt down and took the bear from her. "Kuma-san, huh?" he said, his eyes darting up at Sheena, who mouthed, _'Mister Bear,_ ' mirroring his grin. Ah, so that was what the name meant. He looked back down at the girl. "This is a really cute teddy bear you've got here, Sophia. Where did you get him?"

"Daddy present!" the little girl replied brightly. "'Tokio!"

Ah, so his counterpart had bought it for her in Meltokio, he interpreted. Now that he thought about it, he did remember seeing similar toys on sale there a year or two ago. But before he could comment on it, Sheena motioned at him. "You might want to be careful not to get too close to her. Sophia _loves_ long, curly red hair. More than that, though, she loves _pulling_ long, curly red hair. _Hard_. Just ask her father."

"...Ah." Zelos's eyes widened and he quickly rose to his feet as Sophia reached for a hanging lock of his hair. He'd had plenty of people over the years, of all ages, pull his hair, and few things in life made him cringe more. "That...explains a lot, actually."

"What, you really thought I cut my hair this short for no good reason?" Zelos's alternate suddenly said as he and Sheena emerged from the bedroom.

"Daddy!" Sophia exclaimed, running over to him and holding up her arms, the bear temporarily forgotten in Zelos's hands.

Her father grinned and picked her up again. "Someone took after her mother when it came to inflicting pain on me. Didn't you, baby girl?" She giggled and nodded proudly as he showered her face with kisses. "Oh, and these go back to the other 'me,' if you would, please," he added, handing Sheena the clothes he'd been wearing. She nodded and set them on the couch where Zelos was leaning. "Thanks again for letting me borrow them."

Zelos nodded, but he couldn't respond beyond that because he'd been caught off guard by his alternate's new attire. They were ninja clothes, but they looked far, _far_ better on him than the drab set he'd seen the guy wearing a few days ago. They were a mix of blue and black, but with enough lighter colored patches scattered throughout it to give it some brighter highlights. Huh. He liked them. It was no wonder the other 'him' looked right at home in them; they were attractive but appeared to be comfortable and functional, too, especially if he really did spend his days being a _ninja_ —a thought that Zelos had trouble wrapping his head around.

"I see someone's going to be clingy today," the girl's mother said.

His alternate sighed and looked down at his daughter. "Some days she's little miss independent and doesn't want you touching her; other days she doesn't want to be put down. Looks like today's gonna be one of the latter."

"Probably because you've been gone so long," his wife replied.

Realizing he was still holding Sophia's teddy bear, Zelos walked over to his counterpart and held it up to her. Her eyes met his, and she smiled the most beautiful smile he'd ever seen as she took it from him and clutched it tightly. "She really loves that thing, doesn't she?" he asked, backing away to rejoin 'his' Sheena by the couch.

"I haven't figured out yet if it's the bear she loves so much or if it's the fact that Daddy gave it to her," the alternate Sheena said. "Chances are it's the latter; she really is Daddy's little girl. Those two are as thick as thieves most of the time—not to mention his willing and eager accomplice in crime." She grinned wryly and muttered, "And in driving me crazy."

"That's actually really sweet," Sheena said, smiling softly as she looked at the father and daughter duo—the former of which was grinning proudly at his wife's assessment of them.

The other Sheena gave her a look that made it clear she didn't share that sentiment. "See if you're still saying that once you guys start having kids and he's refusing to tell her 'no' to something he really should be telling her 'no' to, and all the while she's giggling because she's convinced the whole thing is hysterical." Her husband waggled his eyebrows, his grin broadening as their eyes met, even while Zelos could feel himself blushing lightly at her implication that they might one day have children of their own. Beside him, he could see his Sheena's face likewise blossom brightly. After a moment, though, the alternate Sheena's expression softened as she looked back at her counterpart. "In any case, if you don't mind, I'd love to see your Mizuho before we leave. Verius told me about everything that's happened here the past few years, and I feel like I should see it for myself."

Sheena nodded and stood from where she'd been leaning against the couch. "Sure."

Her alternate's hand drifted down to her protruding abdomen. "It won't bother you if the villagers see me looking like...this?"

"Pretty much everyone here is already aware of the situation," Sheena replied. "I mean, it's not like your husband has been hiding here. They know there are two Zeloses running around, so I don't think it'll be a stretch for them to see two versions of us, either. How 'bout I show you around?"

"Sounds good." The other Sheena looked at her husband. "You're staying here?"

He nodded. "Yeah. That'll give me an opportunity to discuss a few things with—" his eyes snapped to Zelos's, "— _me_."

"And you can keep an eye on Sophia?"

His eyebrows flew upward, a smirk appearing on his lips as he gestured at their daughter. "Do you really think you could pry her away from me right now?"

She grinned. "Not unless we tempt her with ice cream, which I doubt we currently have."

"Nope, no ice cream here," he said, chuckling. "Believe me, I checked."

With that, the alternate world's Sheena walked over to him, gave him a quick kiss, transferred the bag to him, and then headed slowly to the door, even while Sheena, to Zelos's surprise and pleasure, gave him one last soft, shy, happy smile before grasping his hand, squeezing it tenderly, and then following her. And then next he knew, the door was closing behind them and they were gone, leaving him behind with his counterpart—and, far more exciting than him, the beautiful little girl still clinging possessively to her father. As much as he wanted to spend every second he could with 'his' Sheena now that they were finally back in each other's lives, he would happily take this, too: the opportunity to get to know 'his' daughter even better before she vanished from this world for good...or at least until he and Sheena found themselves in the position to make their own beautiful little miracle like her.

And one thing he knew, looking at her precious face and the love in her eyes as she peered up at her smiling, protective father, was that that day couldn't possibly come soon enough.

0~*~0

It didn't take Sheena long to discover how _weird_ it was to be walking side-by-side through Mizuho with a married and heavily pregnant duplicate of herself. She was _her,_ and yet she _wasn't_ ; this woman had been through so much that she hadn't and had lived a completely different life from hers, at least since that single moment years ago that had changed everything. This woman was a stranger, yet she was who Sheena would have become had that moment happened differently. It was strange, and unnerving, and she suspected she finally knew how Zelos had felt this past week with his alternate...although this was a little different seeing as hers was _pregnant_ , which brought with it a whole other set of issues. Still, because this woman _was_ her and had lived the life she might have had, so many questions were popping into her mind now that they were alone, things she wanted to ask her about: Orochi, Grandpa, Zelos, Sophia, Mizuho...all of it. Part of her wondered if the other 'her' felt the same, wanting to know more about her own road left untraveled. But unfortunately she doubted they would have enough time to tackle all of that before this woman and her family had to leave, so she would have to choose her topics wisely.

Before she could get her thoughts in order, though, her alternate shook her head and whispered, "Wow, this place really is empty, isn't it? Verius said you'd been hit hard here, but I had hoped he'd been exaggerating about that, too."

"Whatever he told you, I can't imagine he lied about it," Sheena replied. "And yeah, we were hit hard—extremely hard. The past few years have been a struggle, but so far we've survived. This year is the closest we've come to having to give up and leave, though. I guess whether or not we end up staying here or abandoning it for good depends on what else happens before winter comes."

"And unfortunately that's not something anyone can predict."

Sheena nodded. And suddenly she wanted her alternate to know this, because _she_ would want to know it. "Your husband was a tremendous help getting us back on our feet after a storm swept through here last week. Most of our able-bodied men were killed during the poisoning, leaving only a few people left to do the heavy lifting, and then we had to deal with flooding and wind damage on top of it. But he stepped right up and took over. I didn't even have to ask him; he offered. I was amazed. And impressed."

The other 'her' smiled as they walked, resting her hand on her abdomen. "I'm sure you've already figured this out, but he can be a surprisingly hard worker when he wants to be. You'd never expect that, given his upbringing and the 'act' he always portrayed, but he really is. He loves Mizuho. He's devoted to it and wants it to thrive. It's his home. In all the time since we got married, I've never gotten the sense that he seriously wants to leave. Things about it annoy him, and he whines about them plenty—but then, things about it annoy me, too. He loves feeling like he's a part of something, like he matters and can truly help, and living in Mizuho gives him that feeling, because he _can_ help and he _does_ matter. That man has a deep-seated need to feel valued, to feel like his life isn't worthless. And the thing is, he _does_ help, so much so that I doubt I could be chief without him. That willingness and eagerness to help is one of the many things I love about him."

"You're right," Sheena said, remembering how wholeheartedly he'd thrown himself into his work here. "I came to see and appreciate that for myself pretty quickly."

"I'm not surprised." Her alternate's smile broadened as she glanced at her again. "I can't imagine how strange it must've been for you to have him here, considering your relationship with this world's Zelos Wilder before that."

"'Strange' is one way to put it." Talk about an understatement. In fact, trying to wrap her head around it had been nearly _painful_ at times. "At first I refused to believe it, even after Verius vouched for him. I couldn't accept that I would ever get involved with him in _any_ universe. But...well, it didn't take me long to change my mind."

"I'm sure you saw a lot of the side of him that I always get to see."

Sheena nodded. "I think so." Well, actually, she _knew_ so, because she never would've given 'her' Zelos a chance if it hadn't been for his alternate's behavior and gentle prodding and how quickly she'd grown to trust and respect him. But thinking about how long Zelos had been here, about how long he'd _had_ to be here before she'd even started entertaining all the other possibilities, made her remember something else she had to tell this woman. She gave her alternate an apologetic smile. "Listen, I'm really sorry my wish took him away from you and your daughter so long."

The other 'her' shook her head. "It's okay. Really. When Verius told me what he wanted to do and why, I gave him permission to. He told me how unhappy you were—how unhappy you and your Zelos _both_ were—because of how life had played out for you, and I knew if anyone could help you out, it would be my husband. I wouldn't want to be lonely and miserable for the rest of my life, either, and I knew if you had to resort to a wish tag to change things, then it had to be as bad as he said. I'm just glad the week Zelos spent here had the intended effect."

Sheena smiled and looked down at the path, remembering everything he had done this past week not just for Mizuho but for _her,_ opening her up in ways she'd never imagined possible thanks to his patience, understanding, and gentle pushes. "He's an incredible man."

Her counterpart chuckled. "Oh, just wait. The more you learn about your Zelos, the more I think you'll come to realize just _how_ incredible he is. There are hidden depths to that man I don't think anyone could ever imagine unless they went through everything we've been through together. I'm _still_ learning more about him every day. Trust me, whatever you think you know about him now, you're wrong."

...And oh, was she looking forward to finding out the truth. "Well, I'm pretty sure I've already started seeing the real him."

She nodded curtly. "Good. If he's already started letting down his walls with you, then keep poking at them. Don't give up. Keep trying to break that damn mask he was brainwashed to believe was the only way people would like and accept him. If you do that, then you'll find the real man hiding behind the Idiot Chosen act."

Sheena looked at her, and again she found herself wondering about everything this woman and her husband had been through, what obstacles they'd overcome, and how they'd done it. One thing was clear, though: she wouldn't have done any of that if she hadn't truly wanted to. "You really do love him, don't you?" she murmured, at which her counterpart looked at her curiously. Yeah, she supposed that much was obvious, but it was only now hitting her just _how much_ this woman loved him. "I mean, I know he said you did, and I know Verius wouldn't have brought him here if you didn't, but...I can tell by the way you talk about him."

Her alternate chuckled and looked back at the path ahead of them, her face growing red. "Yeah, I do. I really do. We're so different in so many ways, and yet we're alike in all the ways that matter. Our lives have always been intertwined for a reason, even if it took us years to realize it. We just couldn't leave each other alone. We understand each other, we want the same things, we work well together...we love each other."

And just like that, Sheena remembered something the alternate Zelos had said the day he'd arrived here, something similar to what this woman had just said. He clearly hadn't wanted his wife to know this, but if she were her, _she_ would want to know it. "Y'know, he said you were his soulmate."

The other 'her' snorted and rolled her eyes. "Yeah, that sounds like something he would say. As incredible as that man can be, he can also be a gigantic sap and spout exaggerated nonsense like that at the drop of a hat."

Sheena grinned. That was exactly how she'd expected her to react, not only because her husband had _warned_ her she'd react like that, but because it was how Sheena suspected she herself would react if her Zelos ever called _her_ that. "He also said you'd deny it if you were to hear him say that."

"Yeah, he knows me well," she murmured. After a moment, though, her alternate looked back at her, her face softening. "He really called me that?"

"He really called you that," Sheena replied. "And the thing is, as hokey as it sounds—and believe me, I'm not denying that, because I'd feel the same if someone called _me_ their 'soulmate'—I could tell he meant it."

Her counterpart let out a soft laugh and shook her head, and a quick glance at her showed that she was blushing. Wow, she really did blush easily, didn't she? It was weird seeing your own face like that, knowing that was what everyone else always saw when they looked at you. "Well, the truth is, as sappy, corny, and over-the-top as that sounds...he isn't wrong. I would never tell him that to his face, but the truth is, he's just as much my soulmate as I am his." Sheena's footsteps slowed and she looked at the other 'her' wide-eyed, stunned that she'd actually admitted that, and after a second her alternate glanced at her awkwardly before the two resumed walking. "A few months after Zelos and I got married, I was in Triet on an information-gathering mission. Naturally, I stopped by the fortuneteller's home to see what she knew, because she always seems to know _something_ about whatever's going on. Anyway, like usual, she grabbed me and sat me down before I could ask my question, wanting to do a reading. I tried to stop her, but she insisted, and so I figured it would be quicker to just let her. So she grabbed my hand, looked at it for a minute, and then next I knew she was tilting her head, this odd look on her face, and she said, 'Vhy are you 'ere? You 'ave already found your soulmate.'"

Sheena bit back a snicker at her alternate's heavy accent, mimicking the fortuneteller. "What, she saw your wedding ring?"

"Actually, I didn't even have it on at that point. I hadn't been sure who I'd need to get information from, and I didn't want any men ignoring me because I was already married, and Zelos didn't mind, so long as I kept the ring with me, so I took it off. And then she went on to say that despite our differences, we were a good team and were well matched, that we complemented each other, that he loved me just as much as I loved him, and that we had a bright, happy future ahead of us." She paused, a soft, wistful smile appearing on her lips. "I never told him about that because...well, because we'd just gotten married and I was embarrassed to hear things like that from a stranger. Maybe I should, though."

Sheena couldn't help grinning, remembering Zelos's soft smile as he'd said that. Her gut told her he would love to hear that. "It doesn't seem like he'd tease you about it."

The woman gave her a wry grin. "Oh, believe me, that man would tease me to kingdom come if I told him. That's who he is, and that's one thing about him that's never changed. It never will. Zelos Wilder will always be an obnoxious, childish oaf more often than he's not. I've just learned that he doesn't do it to mock me or hurt me. He likes making me blush and laugh, and he's very, very good at it. And honestly, if I really wanted him to stop, I know he would." She shrugged. "But it's just who we are, y'know? It's how we act with each other. And really, it's fun acting goofy with him. You may not have figured this out yet, but that's exactly what he wants: for me, for _both_ of us, to have fun and enjoy life."

Was _that_ why he always acted so silly: because it was his way of having fun and trying to get her to have fun with him? Granted, she didn't know if her Zelos still had that in him, given how sullen and guilty he'd been acting the past few days, but she was hopeful she'd seen inklings of it now, indicating that lightheartedness was still buried in him beneath the guilt. And it astounded her to realize this, but she hoped it was. If her alternate was right about his intentions, acting like that not just for his sake but for hers, too, then how could she deny him that? She would have to make a point not to discourage it anymore, at least not all of the time.

"No, I hadn't realized that," she whispered.

The other 'her' smiled. "You will. Mark my words: that man will go to great, oftentimes _ridiculous,_ lengths to make you smile and laugh. And you _will_ find it impossible to resist him. He's a very charming, persistent, unpredictable man. And really, there's no reason _to_ resist him, because he's a master when it comes to having fun and enjoying life, and he'll make sure you enjoy something just as much as he does." Her face fell a little. "But don't get me wrong. Just because we're soulmates doesn't mean our life together has been all fun and games. We really have to work at it at times. In fact, it's often extremely frustrating."

Sheena nodded faintly. "Your husband said the same."

"I bet he did; we're both aware that neither of us is perfect and that we both have some major issues. We both have gotten fed up with each other at times, and we've both been tempted to give up and walk away. I mean, each of us has a nasty habit of running when a situation gets painful or difficult. I'm sure you already know that."

Oh, yeah, she knew it. All too well, in fact. And unfortunately, in the future they wouldn't have anyone there to yell at them to stop running and force them to work through their issues as the alternate Zelos had. "Both of us have already done that plenty just this past week alone," Sheena said.

Her alternate nodded knowingly. "No surprise there. Unfortunately, that's also who we are, for better or worse, and we know it. There are times we've tried running away ourselves, either by walking away from an argument or by shutting down and refusing to talk about it, and it _has_ caused us problems. Big ones. We set up rules for ourselves to try to prevent them, but that hasn't always worked. And yet...it _has_ worked. We may walk away for a time, but it never seems to take us long to realize how badly we've messed up, and soon enough we both come back to finish working it out. Even with the worst of our 'fights,' we've always ended up resolving it within a day or two—or, if not completely resolved, at least made significant progress toward a resolution. That doesn't mean that'll always happen, but at least we have a good precedent to fall back on." She let out a soft, humorless laugh. "Even then, though, those fights can be terrifying, especially once you've finally calmed down, realized what you've done, and find yourself wondering if you'll be able to fix where you went wrong. I'm just extremely lucky and grateful that Zelos has always forgiven me when I've made the wrong choice. It's encouraged me to do the same when something is his fault. And I love him so much for that, for the effort he's put into it and for making sure we always work out our disagreements in a way we're both happy with it."

"Sounds like a lot of compromise," Sheena said.

"That's exactly what it is. I mean, take Sophia. A few years ago we decided it was time to start having children. We didn't realize exactly what we'd gotten ourselves into until after she'd been born, though—especially with regards to how different our parenting styles would be. I want her to grow up in a traditional Mizuhoan manner, to become a ninja and undergo strict training so she can most effectively help the village. Our Mizuho wasn't decimated like yours was, but we're still hurting, and we still need more ninjas before I'll consider us to be truly stable. We need every child born there to help with that. But Zelos..." Her alternate sighed, her face sinking. "He refuses to be that strict with her. He wants her to grow up having fun and enjoying life and just being a kid; he wants her to explore all of life's possibilities, experience everything she can, and make her own choices about what she wants to do and who she wants to be. Those two approaches aren't exactly compatible."

Sheena's brows furrowed. Huh. She hadn't thought about that, but it did make sense, especially since she'd married an outsider. And when and if she and 'her' Zelos reached that point, then she supposed they would face the same problem...not that she was willing to give up a potential future with him just because of that. But still, it _was_ an issue—a major one. It was even more major seeing as there were so few villagers left here and they desperately needed more—far more than the other world's Mizuho did.

"Have you two worked it out?" she asked.

"Not yet," the other 'her' replied, her face somber. "We occasionally talk about it, but those conversations usually get tense pretty quickly, and it doesn't take long before one or both of us decides to drop it, give it more thought, and agree to talk about it later. But one day we won't be able to put it off any longer, and then we _will_ have to figure something out. I mean, if Sophia's going to live in Mizuho, she should be a ninja, if for no other reason than to set an example, especially since I'm Mizuho's _chief_. I mean, if the chief's own child doesn't have to become a ninja, then why should anyone else's? That's what I've held to. And yet..."

Her voice trailed off and she sighed, casting another glance at Sheena, her face softening. "And yet I appreciate Zelos's perspective, too. I understand why he wants her to enjoy being a child, why he's so insistent that we let her do what she wants to do. He wants her to have the childhood he never had; he wants her to have the freedom to choose her own path in life. I don't know how much your Zelos has told you, but he hated being the Chosen, being forced into a mold that didn't fit him, one he couldn't stand to live in yet could never escape. He hated it so much that he would've given everything, even his own life, to be free of his obligations to the Church, the king, his hunnies, and the Tethe'allan populace. He was trapped in a horrible world he never wanted and that didn't fit the man he was. How can I begrudge his insistence that his own daughter never have to grow up like that, miserable in the life that's been forced on her by others? Even if there's no more threat of her becoming the next Chosen, forcing her to be a ninja is similar. It takes a choice away from her that he firmly believes should be hers alone to make. And I can appreciate that, because I was forced into being a summoner long before I was ready for it, and if I'd known then what I do now, I would've fought Grandpa's insistence that I prove myself. I doubt you'd argue that, given what happened that first time with Volt."

"Of course I wouldn't," Sheena murmured. So that was Zelos's reasoning: he simply wanted her to be a regular kid. It made sense that he'd want to make sure his daughter never grew up the same way he had. And yet...Sophia was growing up in _Mizuho._ That was definitely a problem, and Sheena, as she suspected her alternate felt, could sympathize with both sides. "So how are you two going to work it out?"

Her doppelganger shook her head. "I don't know yet, but it'll likely be the same way we work out every other issue: we'll both have to compromise. It doesn't pay to be stubborn when you're able to see the other person's point of view, understand it, and realize it's valid; it's just another way of looking at an issue. Just because one person's way of doing something isn't the same as your own doesn't make it _wrong_ ; it just makes it _different_. We found that with Michi in our world; his heart is in more academic studies, not in physical activities, and Zelos was the one who figured that out. Forcing him to be what he wasn't didn't work, and he's a lot happier and more reliable now that we've let him do what he wants, with ninja training being a distant second. And the thing is, I know Zelos understands why I want her to grow up as a ninja, too, and he doesn't blame me for it. It is what it is, and eventually we'll just have to make a decision. Maybe we'll let Sophia decide once she's old enough to make that choice, and I'll just have to hope she chooses to become a ninja."

"That might be your only real choice if you want to keep everyone happy," Sheena said.

"Probably," her alternate replied with a small smile. "But like I said, Zelos and I need to sit down and really discuss it one of these days, and until we do, it'll always be there in the back of my mind, nagging at me. But despite our different approaches to parenting and how I disagree with letting her get away with some of the stuff he does, Zelos is a good father. He's an _amazing_ one, actually. He's incredible to watch with her. He would give his life to protect her and keep her safe and happy. And you know what gets me most?"

Her description of Zelos as a father was mesmerizing. It was so foreign, envisioning the perverted flirt and idiot Zelos Wilder as a _father,_ and yet that thought was becoming more comfortable—maybe even coveted—the more Sheena learned about him. "What?"

Her alternate smiled softly. "Every single day since she was born, that man has made a point to tell her how much he loves her. Not a day has gone by that I haven't heard him tell her that. He's determined to make sure she has the opposite childhood he had. He wants her to know she's wanted, that she's loved, and that he'll always be there for her and will protect her however he can. That's all he ever wanted as a child but never had, and he's making sure that even if he never felt his own life had value, thanks to his stupid, selfish, miserable parents, she will. And every time I hear him say that, I fall in love with him all over again." She turned to look at Sheena. "I couldn't have asked for a better father for my children. That's how I know no matter how different we are, we'll work the rest out, too. We both love her and want the best for her, and so somehow or other we'll make that happen." She placed her hand on her protruding abdomen. "The same holds true for this little one. Whatever it takes, we'll make it work. He may be the last man in the world I ever would've considered for this once, but now he's the only man I'll ever want, the only man I'll ever _trust_ enough, to always be there for us. We have issues, but I wouldn't trade him for anything, and seeing him try so hard to make it all work, to make me and Sophia happy and keep us safe, makes me want to do the same for him. We always have been able to bring out the best and worst in each other—and since we started dating, it's been almost exclusively the best, with only a few exceptions."

Sheena could feel her heart melting. This was exactly the kind of reassurance she'd needed to know she'd made the right choice to give Zelos a chance. They were words she would hold onto whenever things got rough. It made her hopeful that there really was a bright future waiting for them. "You are so lucky."

"Heh," her alternate chuckled, looking down at the ground, a light blush settling on her cheeks. "Yeah, I am. And I know it. Not a day goes by that I'm not grateful for everything I have." She suddenly looked up at Sheena. "And you will be one day, too. I'm confident of that. Like I told your Zelos, he's a good man, with a good heart; he just doesn't see it himself yet. I'm hoping you have now, though."

Not as well as this woman obviously did yet, but enough to know it was there and that it just needed some encouragement. "Of course I have. I always did. Certain things that happened made me doubt him for awhile, but unless he reverts completely into an infuriating jerk, I don't think that'll be a problem anymore."

"Obviously my husband didn't think so, either, because he never would've hooked you two up here if he didn't think a real possibility existed for you to find what we have. If he really didn't trust him, he never would've done it, which is saying a lot because it took Zelos years to really trust himself. He's always been obnoxiously protective of me like that." She tilted her head, a smirk appearing on her lips. "Well, that and he's just plain obnoxious. But he truly is worth the occasional headache." She gave Sheena a pointed look. "Never forget that. And make sure he knows it, too; I've always had trouble expressing my feelings, and I'm sure you're the same, but sometimes you just have to do it. He's an extremely smart, perceptive man, but he can't read your mind. You need to tell him what he means to you, because he has just as many insecurities and self doubts as you do."

Sheena nodded somberly. That wasn't the first time she'd heard that, either. Obviously both her alternate and the alternate Zelos had had enough experience with the matter to know that. "Your husband told me the same."

"I'm not surprised. He knows how much it's helped him to have someone accept him for _him_ , insecurities and flaws and everything else included, someone who's never cared about his status as the Chosen. Make sure your Zelos always knows that, that he _is_ a good man, that he deserves to be alive and happy, and that his fears about himself aren't warranted." She motioned at the abnormally quiet village. "And don't be afraid to ask him for help here, because Mizuho obviously needs all the help it can get. All he's ever needed to bring out his full potential is a little encouragement, someone expressing faith in him and making him want to live up to it. I'm sure he'll do everything he can to help; even if he isn't the Chosen anymore, he'll still be happy to devote every resource he has to that."

Her alternate suddenly stopped and gave her another pointed look. "I can't emphasize that enough: _ask for his help_. Be better about that than I was. I can't tell you how many times I've hurt him by thinking I could handle things on my own, only to have it crash and burn because it turned out to be too much. We could've prevented a lot of problems if only I'd remembered we're a _team_ and I don't need to deal with everything alone. I've never intentionally left him out of the decision-making process, and it's not like I don't trust him, because I do, implicitly; I just don't even realize sometimes how much a decision might affect him. We are—and always will be—works in progress. Although if you've already accepted your limitations enough to turn to a wish tag for help, I expect you're pretty far along in realizing that. Hopefully that means you guys won't have to go through some of the things we did."

Well, Sheena couldn't deny that she'd reached the point of ignoring her pride and asking for help. When it came to the things that really mattered, like Mizuho's survival, she couldn't sit back and do nothing, and so she'd done what she had to do. But just because she'd become more accustomed to asking for help didn't mean she and Zelos had only smooth sailing ahead of them, either. "Maybe, at least in some ways. But we have a completely different set of issues to deal with than you did."

Her alternate nodded. "I know. I expect the rest of your life, whether you guys stay together or not, will end up considerably different than ours because of the circumstances you experienced that we didn't. But that doesn't mean it can't be just as good; it just means it'll be different. Whatever it is, though, it'll be worth it. Trust me, if you really want it to work and are willing to put forth the effort to get where you want to go, you'll be fine. And don't worry about the things you can't change; all you can do is deal with the things you can and adjust when necessary. Like Zelos always says, 'W _hatever will be, will be_.'"

Sheena smiled, remembering the light that had filled 'her' Zelos's eyes last night when she'd repeated his trademark saying to him. After this week, she was starting to like the sentiment it conveyed: don't worry about the things you can't change because no amount of worrying can fix them, so focus instead on those things you _can_ change. It brought with it hope for a more peaceful, pleasant future. She couldn't change her past, but she could, to an extent, control where she took her future, and so she would just deal with things as they came. She would adjust whenever it became necessary to do so. At least now she wouldn't have to face that future, whatever it might bring her, alone.

"Thanks," she said. "I really appreciate you taking the time to tell me all of this."

Her alternate returned her smile. "You're welcome. I truly mean it when I say I wouldn't trade him for the world, weird quirks and frustrating issues and all." And suddenly, Sheena realized where the other 'her' had been silently guiding her while they'd walked: to the cemetery. Her alternate paused as they arrived at the entrance, but then she headed to the memorial marker that her husband had visited a few days ago. As she read the names carved there, Sheena could see her face sink, making her look very old...and very sad. "So many lives lost here that day..."

Sheena folded her arms to her chest, keeping her eyes averted from the marker. She always had trouble coming here; she'd lived through the event, she'd carved most of the names herself, and there was no chance she would forget what had happened. But she wasn't surprised her alternate had wanted to come here, too; if Verius had told her about what happened in this world, then it made sense that she'd want to see this list of names for herself. "This cemetery was one of your husband's first destinations when he got here, too."

Her alternate's eyes turned to her, still somber and sad. "I can't imagine how you must've felt when he told you about how differently the poisoning played out in our Mizuho."

Sheena's gaze fell to the ground. No, that particular blow, finding out how things might have been otherwise, was also impossible to forget. "It was a shock. Of course, I was even more shocked to learn _he_ was part of the reason why so many of your villagers were saved. We lost so many people here that day, and yet you only lost a small fraction of that."

"Yeah, we did," the other 'her' murmured. "My life is only one of many that he saved. It must've been a real challenge keeping the village up and running since then." She turned to look at Sheena. "Just don't blame your Zelos for not being here for you like mine was. That's just how life played out. There's nothing he can do to change that now. If he'd known at the time what was happening, I guarantee he would've been here and done everything he could to help."

She nodded. She didn't doubt that, either. "I don't blame him. He wasn't even a part of my life at that point, so there's no way he could've known what was happening here." Her voice lowered. "And for that distance between us at the time, we're both to blame."

Her doppelganger observed her a moment before nodding. "On the bright side, maybe now my husband can finally put that whole incident to rest. Ever since that day, he's felt guilty because of the people who _did_ die, the ones he wasn't able to save. Now that he knows what would've happened if he hadn't arrived when he did, it should put his mind at ease. And that's another reason why you need to ask your Zelos for help here. Whether any of this is his fault or not, knowing him, he'll want to try to make up for not being here when you needed him most."

...And Sheena was pretty sure she could do that now that she was becoming more accustomed to asking for help. She still didn't like it, but desperate times called for desperate measures. "I will."

The other 'her' motioned back at the entrance to the cemetery, and the two women began heading that way. Only a moment later, though, they ran into Tiga, who was walking toward them, his eyes wide as he looked between the two. His footsteps briefly paused, but then they resumed, more quickly than before, heading toward them. "Sheena...and Sheena?" he said.

"Chief Tiga," Sheena greeted him, bowing her head.

He returned the gesture, but his gaze quickly settled on the alternate Sheena. "You must be the wife of the Chosen who has been staying here this past week."

Sheena's alternate likewise smiled and bowed her head. "Chief Tiga. I was just reading the names of the villagers who died here during the poisoning. I'm glad to see you survived."

"I am glad to see you survived it in your world as well," Tiga said, returning her smile. "I take it your presence here means the Chosen from the other world is also still here?"

She nodded. "We'll be leaving soon. I just wanted to have a look around the village before we did. We've moved Mizuho in my world, so being here feels like I'm reliving my past."

A single curious eyebrow rose. "Where did you move it to?" he asked.

"Sylvarant, near the Linkite tree," she replied. "It's such a sheltered region that it's hard for most people to find it."

"Ah. And how is that working out for your people?"

"Very well, actually. We moved there soon after our daughter was born, so it's been over two years now and we haven't had any incidents or unwelcome guests yet." She gave him a knowing smile. "Thinking about moving Mizuho, eh?"

"Eventually, when our population is stable enough to do so without putting our well-being in jeopardy," he said. "I am always looking for suggestions of a good place for us so I will have to consider the one you mentioned."

Sheena's alternate shrugged. "We miss some of the locations near here, but overall we like it. Being here again brings back a lot of good memories, though."

Tiga's eyes narrowed. "According to your husband, you are your Mizuho's chief?"

"Mm hmm. Grandpa passed the title on to me several years ago."

"And your Igaguri is still alive in your world?"

"Yeah." Her voice lowered and her face grew somber. "A lot of people are still alive in my world who aren't here."

"So I have heard," he whispered. "Thanks to your husband."

She bowed her head again. "Thanks in no small part to my husband."

Without warning, Tiga gave Sheena a pointed look, and even though he didn't say anything, she knew what he was telling her: " _Now we need you to find someone capable of helping our Mizuho like that_." She averted her eyes, a blush of embarrassment settling on her cheeks. Well, on the bright side, at least it wouldn't be hard to convince her people to give Zelos a chance seeing as his alternate had already done wonders to that effect simply by being here and being himself this past week.

"Believe me, Chief Tiga, I'm working on it." She quickly cleared her throat and looked up at him. "Speaking of which, my instructions to kill this world's Zelos if he shows up here are no longer applicable, so you can tell the villagers he's welcome here again. In fact, you should probably know that he's here now, waiting for us with his alternate. I'll bring him by to see you in a little while."

"Very good," Tiga replied, smiling and bowing his head. "I will look forward to that. In fact, I am as glad to hear that as I was to hear that Michi has finally been located."

Sheena grinned. She was still delighted about that news. She didn't understand why he hadn't returned here yet, but as soon as she could, she would go there and find him. Whether or not he would come back with her, she had no idea, but to know that at least one more villager hadn't been killed by the poisoning was still incredible news. She was already dreading telling him how his mother had died, but at least Hamako, his little sister, had survived. It was way past time that the siblings be reunited; Hamako, while well cared for these past few years by the other survivors, had suffered on her own long enough.

"Yeah, Zelos mentioned that to me, too," she said. "I'll take Hamako with me and go get him as soon as I can."

"What happened here with Michi?" Sheena's alternate asked, her eyes narrowing as she looked between them.

"He ran away from Mizuho the week before the poisoning occurred," Sheena explained. "Your husband apparently located him at the academy in Sybak. Honestly, we all thought Michi was long dead since no one had seen him in years. A few of the surviving villagers even thought he'd had something to do with the poisoning, at least until we found the true culprit."

"Ah," her counterpart said. "That doesn't surprise me that he ran away, actually; he did in my world, too, all the way to Meltokio, although I'm sure the circumstances behind it were different here. And no, I'm positive he had nothing to do with the poisoning. He didn't in my world. Chances are he never even heard about it here if he left before it happened."

"That makes sense, seeing as we never made it well known outside of Mizuho that we'd been poisoned," Sheena said, glancing at Tiga, who nodded his agreement.

"Oh, and in case you aren't already aware of this, Michi didn't kill his father, either; Tatsuya's death was a complete accident," Sheena's alternate went on. "Michi felt extremely guilty about it in my world because he was inadvertently responsible for causing the situation—he probably _still_ feels guilty about it, for that matter—but he didn't cause it. So please, make sure no one here holds that against him anymore. If you manage to convince him to come back, nothing would chase him away again faster than someone accusing him of that."

Tiga's eyebrows rose. "I see. That is extremely important, helpful information. I wish Sadako had known that before she died. I take it you uncovered the truth about him in your world then?"

Sheena's alternate smiled. "Well, Zelos did, at least. They became good friends. Still are, actually."

"...Which is most likely why he went looking for Michi in Sybak this past week," Sheena murmured.

"Yeah," her counterpart replied. "Just be sure when you confront Michi that you go easy on him. I'm sure that's why he hasn't returned here yet, if he was afraid you'd blame him for his father's death again, punish him for running away, and never let him leave. He's a brilliant young man when he isn't being forced to be someone he isn't, and there's no way he ran away from here because he hates the village or your people; he just did what he had to do to be true to himself, which means, for him, not becoming a ninja. Zelos funded his training in Sybak in our world, and Michi—and Mizuho—are both far better for it. I'm glad to hear Michi impressed someone in Sybak enough to make that happen here, too, even without Zelos's backing. And believe me, Mizuho needs all the training he's received there, especially given the condition your village is in. It needs _him_. _I_ sure do; he's an amazing young man, and he's helped us out countless times. Do whatever you have to do to get him back here, but make sure you always let him be himself and don't give him any reason to run away again."

Tiga bowed his head. "We will be sure to keep all of that in mind, Chief Sheena. Thank you for the information and for your words of advice about how best to deal with him." He looked up at the two women again. "On another note, one of the villagers gave me this present to give to the alternate world's Chosen as a token of gratitude for the help he provided us here."

He held up a brown wall scroll with a picture and some Mizuhoan words inscribed on it. The alternate Sheena smiled broadly. "Heh. He'll love that. We have a wall in our home displaying all the scrolls he's received from the villagers the past few years as a thank you gift for something he did for them. He views them as trophies, reminding him of all of the good things he's accomplished for the village."

Sheena couldn't help smiling. That seemed like something Zelos would do, showing off his achievements like that. "He should still be at my house, if you want to give this to him in person, Chief Tiga."

"I will do so immediately then, before he leaves." His eyes turned back to the other Sheena, and he bowed his head one last time. "Chief Sheena, thank you for sharing your husband with us this past week. His help has enabled us to get back on our feet after the storm that recently devastated us."

"You're welcome, Chief Tiga," Sheena's alternate replied.

His gaze snapped to Sheena, even though he was clearly still talking to the other 'her.' "And perhaps your status in your world will encourage our Sheena to reconsider one day stepping into the role of chief herself, even if she will never have the full training from Chief Igaguri that she desired."

Her alternate gave her a warm smile. "Hopefully one day soon she'll have the help she'll need here to feel comfortable doing so. I think she's on the right track."

Not to Sheena's surprise, she could feel herself blushing again. "We'll see."

Tiga gave her a knowing look before returning his attention to her alternate. "Then it was good to meet you, Chief Sheena. I will find your husband one last time before you leave."

"It was good to see you, Chief Tiga. Continue taking good care of these people."

"I will. Same to you." And then he bowed to them one last time before turning and heading off toward Sheena's house.

"I suppose we should follow him," Sheena said.

The other 'her' rested her hand on her abdomen. "Just a little slower than him since I can't walk that fast right now."

"Then you set the pace," Sheena replied as they started walking back to her home. If their time together was quickly drawing to a close, though, then there were other things she wanted to say to this woman before she left. For instance... "Your daughter really is beautiful."

Her alternate blushed and chuckled shyly. "Yeah, she is, isn't she? She was lucky and inherited a lot of her father's most attractive features." Her voice lowered to a mutter and her smile grew wry. "She inherited some of his not-so-attractive features, too, but those are mostly behavioral."

Sheena grinned. "Yeah, well, he said the same about you. Like how she loved inflicting pain on him by pulling his hair."

"Oh, yeah, there was definitely that. Not that she was doing it to intentionally hurt him; she just loved his hair." She paused a moment, but then her face softened. "Cutting his hair was one of the sweetest things I've ever seen him do, because I know how hard that decision was for him to make. The fact that he loved her so much that he was willing to do something he never would've done otherwise, though, just so she would always feel loved and wanted...well, I think that speaks for itself."

Yes, it did. It meant his love for Sophia was more powerful than how 'vain' he could be about his own looks. He had taken his own chances and made his own sacrifices to achieve a better future, not only for himself, having a daughter who didn't hurt him all the time, but for his daughter, so she never had to wonder if her father really loved her. And the thing was, it had obviously worked. No wonder he'd kept telling Sheena this past week that she had to be willing to take chances and make some hard decisions. "I have to admit, he does look good with the shorter hair. It took me awhile to get used to it, but once I did...I liked it."

The other 'her' smiled. "He really does, doesn't he? I love the long, curly hair on him as much as any woman, but he's a very attractive man no matter how long his hair is." She arched an eyebrow. "I hope you aren't going to deny you feel the same, because I know you'd be lying."

Sheena coughed and looked away, blushing yet again. Okay, she probably deserved that, especially coming from a version of herself who'd obviously gotten over that particular embarrassment years ago. "No, I won't deny it. He really is attractive." Really, _really_ attractive, but even if her alternate already knew that, there were some things she wasn't ready to say yet. But now that she was already so embarrassed—and by _herself,_ no less—she might as well ask her alternate another embarrassing question. "So...I, ah, I take it the sex really is as good as he made it out to be?"

Instantly, her alternate's eyes widened, her jaw dropped, and she gaped at her. "You've gotta be _kidding_ me! Zelos was talking about our sex life? _Again_? That man can't _not_ talk about sex, can he?" She growled and folded her arms to her chest. "I really have to have a talk with him about that one of these days. Not everyone needs to know what we do in our bedroom!"

...Oh. Whoops. She'd gotten him in trouble, hadn't she? And while she understood it—she would be just as pissed if her Zelos suddenly started talking about that with everyone he met—it really wasn't his fault this time. "Ah, actually that was my fault," she said, giving her pregnant doppelganger a sheepish smile. "When he first showed up here, I assumed that was why he'd married you—for the sex...and for easy access to these—" she motioned discreetly at her chest, "and I, ah, made the mistake of mentioning how much I'd disliked sex, based on my experiences with Orochi. He...well, he insisted otherwise. Rather vehemently, actually."

Her alternate eyed her a moment, her lips quirking into a smile. "You mean I _don't_ have to kill him for that? Darn. And I was so looking forward to it, too." Her smile broadened into a wicked grin more than a little reminiscent of Zelos's. Apparently being married to him so long had rubbed off on her—especially if she was now able to tease him the way he had always teased her. After a moment, though, she chuckled and shook her head, her face softening and a blush erupting on her cheeks. "No, but seriously, the sex is good. Really, _really_ good. He wasn't lying about that. The man knows what he's doing. He makes it fun, and...well, extremely pleasurable. He's an amazing lover, and he's always concerned first and foremost about me. That's something you have the right to look forward to once you and your Zelos reach that point."

Sheena could feel herself flush, not only with curiosity and excitement—those words definitely meant more coming from this woman than they had from her husband—but at the utter awkwardness of thinking of herself and Zelos like... _that_. "Good...ah, good to hear."

The other 'her' shrugged. "Of course, my Zelos barely had any hands-on experience with that when we got married, which...isn't the case with yours."

...Huh? "Your husband mentioned that you two waited until after you were married for... _that_ ," she ventured, not sure she was following her alternate's meaning.

"I doubt he would've been so willing to wait if not for Mizuho's rule against sex before marriage. And the thing is, it made me love him all the more that he _was_ willing to wait because of their expectations of me." Her doppelganger glanced at her. "Just don't hold it against your Zelos that he's been with so many women since then while mine hadn't before we started dating. From what Verius told me, your Zelos didn't actually start sleeping around until after you had married Orochi and he knew he had no chance with you."

Her eyes widened. Wait...was she saying Zelos _hadn't_ slept with every woman in Tethe'alla before they'd started dating in that alternate world? Then that would mean her Zelos hadn't either, right? And, more than that, her counterpart—likely having been told so by Verius—seemed pretty certain he hadn't started sleeping with everyone here until after she'd married Orochi. Wow. Sheena truly hadn't known that. "Really? But I thought..."

"Oh, he hasn't told you about that yet?" her alternate asked, arching an eyebrow. "Well, it's true. Whatever you thought about him and his sex life before that was what he _wanted_ you to think. When you get a chance, ask him the truth about his relationship with women. And make sure he tells you about Shirley, because she's a huge part of it. I think you'll be surprised."

And suddenly Sheena wanted to know what she was talking about. But she also didn't blame her alternate for wanting Zelos to be the one to tell her; she would rather hear it directly from him anyway because she'd found she could tell a lot about his true feelings just by watching him as he spoke. "I will." Sheena cleared her throat, more than ready to change the subject. Anything else she needed to know about that she'd get from Zelos. And besides, there was something else she needed to say to this woman. It was just as uncomfortable, but it _did_ need to be said because she didn't want to risk the truth coming out in some other way and hurting the alternate Zelos. She wrung her hands together, looking down at the dirt path. "Listen, there's something else you should know...something else I should apologize for. I, um, I tried to kiss him at one point this past week. _Your_ Zelos, I mean."

The other Sheena looked at her, her eyes wide. "Oh? And what did he do?"

"He didn't let me; he stopped me before I could. I, um..." She folded her arms to her chest, her gut churning at the memory of that moment when she'd done the unthinkable. "I was upset one night, and he was being so sweet and comforting, and it just...it happened. I regretted it immediately, but..."

Her alternate shook her head. "Don't worry about it. Things happen, especially between us." She looked sharply at Sheena. "Let me guess, you wanted to know what it felt like to kiss him, right?"

Sheena looked at her sheepishly. "...Yeah. Especially after how...dull...it was with Orochi. And with Zelos insisting that chemistry made all the difference, I was...curious."

"As long as he stopped you, I'm not upset about it," she replied. "Don't forget, I fell in love with the man, too. I'd had a crush on him years ago, just like you did. I'm just as attracted to him as you are. We have just as many sparks in our world, of all possible varieties, as you two do here. I get it. I was the one who kissed him first in my world, too. And since you were seeing him in the same light I always do, I'm not surprised. I'm just glad you told me that he stopped you." She gave Sheena a pointed look. "That's just more proof, if you still need it, that the man can be trusted. When he's fully committed to someone, then nothing will sway him. I think you'll find the same about yours."

"I hope so," Sheena murmured. And that was that. Now, back to all the other pressing topics she wanted to talk about before she lost this chance for good. She motioned at her alternate's abdomen. "So I take it you like being a mother?"

Her alternate's face softened and her hand returned to her protruding belly. "I love it. I really do. I wasn't sure going into it if I'd be any good at it seeing as I'd never known my own mother—I'm sure you have the same reservations I did—but you get the hang of it. It turns out a lot of it is instinctive; you do whatever is necessary to teach your child what they need to know, protect them, and make them happy. And, at least in my Mizuho, we have a wonderful support system, people who want us to succeed as parents and for Sophia to bring good things to the village. And watching Sophia grow, learn new things, marvel over life, explore everything, approach everything with an innocence and excitement only a child can truly experience...it's amazing, bringing a little person into this world with someone you love, seeing yourself and your partner in them, being able to guide them and take care of them when they can't take care of themselves."

Oh, Jizou. She was right that Sheena had always had her doubts about being a mother, and now to hear that she didn't have to worry about that...she smiled. "Heh. I guess you really must enjoy it if you're having another one."

The other 'her' laughed softly and stroked her belly, looking downward awkwardly. "Well, yeah, I do...but this one wasn't planned." She gave Sheena a pointed look. "Let's just say when Chie warns you the protective charms only last five years and then need to be replaced, she means it. I completely forgot about that, and look what happened."

...Yeah, Sheena did remember Chie telling her that when she'd married Orochi. She would tuck that tidbit away in the back of her mind. "Ah."

"Not that I'm upset about it or anything, but it still came as quite a surprise to us both. We hadn't even started talking about having another child yet, and then next I knew, I was pregnant again."

"And Zelos doesn't mind?" Sheena asked.

Her alternate gave her an incredulous look. "Are you _kidding_? You saw him in there. He's delighted. Took the news a whole lot better than I did, actually. _'An accident, but not a mistake,_ ' is what he said. Well, that and ' _Unexpected, but not unwanted_.'" She shrugged. "Regardless, being a mother is great. It has its ups and downs—and Zelos is right to point out that my lack of patience _does_ often become an issue—but I wouldn't trade Sophia, her father, or this little one, for the world. It's a lot of work, and I expect when this one's born, it'll be even more work, but it's still worth it." She smiled. "At least if things work out with your Zelos and you're one day in a similar position, rest assured you'll find it _extremely_ handy having an angel as a husband since it means he doesn't need as much sleep as a normal person."

Sheena blinked at her. "Are you saying he went through the entire angelic transformation like Colette did?"

"Ah, so he hasn't told you about that yet, either?" Sheena stared at her, wide-eyed—although now that she thought about it, she _did_ remember the alternate Zelos mentioning that he had angel powers and didn't need as much sleep as a normal human—but before she could respond, her alternate shook her head. "It's not something you need to know right away, but make sure you eventually ask him for those details; that's one of the many things you need to know about him, and I'm sure he won't volunteer that information himself if he can get away with it." To Sheena's surprise, though, her face darkened a little. "There's, ah, more to it than that, repercussions even he didn't know when he first told me about it, but I think you're better off finding that out for yourselves later on." She cleared her throat. "In any case, when Sophia was still a baby, because reduced need for sleep is an angelic side effect, Zelos was the one who got up with her the most during the night so I could sleep. It helped me out tremendously, because the lack of sleep otherwise, on top of having all of the chief's duties, probably would've overwhelmed me. It was sweet, really, how eager he was to help." Her face softened into a smile again. " _He_ is sweet."

Yeah, she was getting that picture: that Zelos truly was a good husband and father. And there was no reason to believe her Zelos was any different. She returned her alternate's smile. "I'm glad to hear that. For years I've wondered if I was really cut out to be a mother, and knowing you two are managing it, together, really does ease my mind."

"You are cut out to be a mother," her alternate reassured her. "Honest. You may not think you are now, but you are."

A quick glance upward showed that they'd nearly reached her house. "Thanks."

They walked the rest of the distance in silence, but the closer they came to her home, the more Sheena noticed her companion's face falling. And finally, her footsteps stopped completely. "There's no iris," her alternate whispered to herself.

Sheena likewise stopped and looked back at her, confused. "What?"

Her counterpart motioned at the front of the house. "Your house...there's no iris. You planted bushes instead." Sheena blinked at her, still not getting it, and her alternate sighed. "In my world we planted iris. We even ended up digging them all up and replanting them when Mizuho moved. So far they've all survived...and they're beautiful."

...Oh. Iris, huh? Sheena was envious. That sounded perfect. At one point she'd considered planting some here, but she'd change her mind before she could even start collecting them. She wondered how she and her alternate had been led to make such different decisions. Was it because her counterpart had been with Zelos at the time and had had a more optimistic view of the future, so she'd chosen to be optimistic about getting the iris she needed? It was a sobering thought. What else had Sheena decided one way in her world that she might have decided differently if she'd had a brighter outlook on life?

"I'd thought about planting iris, but we didn't have enough in the village at the time to make it worthwhile, so I went with bushes instead," she said.

Her alternate gave her a sad smile. "Yeah, we didn't either, but I managed to make it happen anyway. I just loved the way the iris looked in Zelos's garden, and I talked Grandpa into helping me find some. Zelos supplied the rest himself. In any case, if you ever get a chance, give it another try. They look perfect here. Zelos can even help you plant them."

Sheena blinked at her, not amused by the suggestion—nor by the smirk that appeared on her alternate's lips. " _Zelos_ help me plant _flowers_? Does that man even know how to get his hands dirty?"

"No, but you can teach him," she replied, the humor falling from her face. Seeing Sheena's disbelieving look, she chuckled. "Seriously. He's a surprisingly good student with that kind of stuff. I think a part of him even _likes_ it, doing something so _ordinary_ that no one in his society ever let him do himself before."

...Oh, right. She should've realized that his uncharacteristic ability to do carpentry work—regardless of how questionable his reason for learning it had been—extended to activities like gardening, too. "Ah."

"I take it you didn't notice my wedding ring?" Her alternate reached down, picked up her necklace's pendant, and held it up. Sheena took a step closer, realizing it was a ring. "I can't wear it right now because my fingers are so swollen, so I wear it like this instead."

Sheena's eyes narrowed as she leaned forward, taking a closer look. No...that _couldn't_ be what it looked like. "Is that an...?"

"An iris? Yeah, it is."

...No way. Her eyes snapped up to her alternate's. "Are you saying you told him about that before you two got married?"

"No," the other 'her' replied, smiling. "I told him the night after we got married."

...Oh, right. She did remember the other Zelos mentioning that when he'd shown her his ring, that they'd been standing in her home the night after their wedding when she'd told him her real name and why the iris meant so much to her. But this still didn't make sense. Her face wrinkled in confusion. How could Zelos have gotten her this? "So he bought you this ring _after_ you were married?"

Her alternate's smile broadened. "No. This was technically our engagement ring, only I loved it so much—for obvious reasons—that I talked him out of buying me another one. Needless to say, he understood after I explained the meaning behind it."

That was incredible. "So how...?"

"The man is far more perceptive than he lets on," she replied. "He noticed how important the iris was to me, or maybe just how much I liked the flower, and then at some point he started associating it with me."

Sheena blinked at her. "So he truly didn't know...?"

"...That my real name means 'iris'?" She shook her head. "He gave me this," she lifted her hand, and for the first time Sheena noticed that around her wrist was clasped a silver bracelet, on which hung a pendant identical to the iris on her ring, "and a few other pieces as a New Year's gift after we'd been dating a few months. He saw how much I liked it and then completed the set with the ring. He truly had no idea at the time how right he was."

So that had been his New Year's gift to her, huh? It must have been the equivalent of the beautiful figurine of Corrine and that heartfelt note her Zelos had planned to give her until she'd announced her engagement...a gift that, in a better world, might have steered them onto this hopeful, promising course far sooner than had happened here. Accompanying that realization was an overwhelming sense of sadness and regret, especially now that she knew how things _should_ have turned out back then. "That's amazing," she murmured.

"It really was," her alternate went on, giving her an empathetic smile. "I mean, don't expect the same to happen here, because if my Zelos hadn't randomly decided to drop by Mizuho the day I was planting those, he might not have thought to get me this for New Year's, and I'm sure it was my reaction to it that completed his mental association between us. Don't underestimate him or his perceptiveness, though, either. He's a smart, shrewd man, and he's very good at making connections like this. It's a great skill to have on Mizuho's side—and on my own. In a lot of ways I wish I was more like him, but since I'm not, I'm glad to have him with me to help me connect the dots and make fully informed decisions. It's one of his strengths, and it's one of the ways he complements me perfectly."

If Sheena was being honest with herself, she always had envied that particular strength of his; she'd just never let herself acknowledge it. Her alternate's words were reassurance, yet again, that she had made the right decision to give her Zelos a chance. "I'll keep that in mind." She looked back at the front of her house and sighed. The bushes, which had served their purpose but had never been her favorite, now looked even more drab than usual. "And if Mizuho ever reaches the point where I can indulge in redecorating, maybe I will try to find some iris. It really would look nice here."

"It does." The other 'her' motioned at the door. "Anyway, c'mon. Knowing Sophia, she's getting antsy to go home. And I don't even want to _think_ what kind of mischief two Zeloses left alone for so long could be scheming."

Sheena grinned and nodded, and the two opened the door. As she stepped inside, she could hear one of the Zeloses—undoubted Sophia's father—instructing the girl not to touch anything that didn't belong to her, and she quickly found that Sophia was wandering around her living area, looking at everything wide-eyed, while both Zeloses leaned back against the couch, watching her. In the long-haired Zelos's hands was the girl's adorable teddy bear, which it appeared she had entrusted to him again, an endearing picture that Sheena couldn't help but smile at.

The minute the door closed, everyone stopped what they were doing and turned to look at them, Sophia's face instantly lighting up. She dropped the wooden figure in her hand—the one the alternate Zelos had clearly been trying to get her to put down—and ran over to her mother. "Mommy back!"

"Hi there, sweetie," Sheena's alternate said, slowly bending down and giving her a hug.

Sophia looked up at Sheena warily as her mother released her, clearly considering her, but then, without warning—and much to Sheena's surprise—she lifted her arms, her face shy but hopeful. "Up?"

...Wow. Sheena, eager to comply yet not quite knowing if she should, gave the girl's mother an uncertain look, but the other 'her' just smiled and nodded. "Go ahead. She knows I can't lift her right now without hurting my back, so you're an understandable alternative."

Sheena eyed her a moment, making sure she really didn't mind, then she carefully picked up the girl, resting her on her hip. Sophia stared at her a moment with wide blue eyes before touching her face as if in as much awe of Sheena as Sheena was of her—of how soft her skin was, of the delicate lines of her face that looked so much like her own, of the blueness of her eyes, looking exactly like Zelos's, a beautiful contrast to her dark hair. _Her daughter_. This precious little girl was supposed to be her daughter, and she existed in a life that might have been yet never was, at least not for her. On the bright side, maybe now she and Zelos had corrected their course enough to steer them back onto a path that might once again lead them toward this beautiful future.

"Hi," she greeted Sophia softly.

"Hi," Sophia replied. She tilted her head curiously. "You like Mommy."

"I think she means you look like me," Sheena's alternate translated.

Sheena smiled. "Yeah, I do look, don't I?"

"Not fat!" the girl said, bouncing brightly.

Across the room, the girl's father sighed. "It's not nice to call someone fat, Sophia," he gently chided her. "A little extra weight never stopped anyone from being beautiful. In fact, I think your mother looks absolutely radiant. That's your little baby brother or sister growing inside her, remember?"

Sophia nodded and bowed her head as she looked at her mother. "Sowwy, Mommy."

The other Sheena smiled and bowed her head in return. "It's okay, Sophia. And you're right, this woman looks a lot like me. She just doesn't weigh as much because she isn't pregnant, like I am."

The little girl looked back at Sheena, tilting her head again. "No baby?"

Sheena gave her a sad smile. "No, I'm not having a baby right now. Maybe one day, though." Her eyes darted at 'her' Zelos, and she immediately flushed, her heart skipping a beat and her stomach fluttering excitedly at the look on his face: he was watching her and Sophia closely, a softness in his eyes that she had never seen before that reflected pure awe, amazement...and love. And, the most incredible part, he didn't even look away when he realized Sheena was looking at him; he just gave her a beautifully sincere smile, one that was reflected in his eyes. Sheena quickly cleared her throat and looked back down at Sophia, but even though she knew he was still watching her, she couldn't help smiling.

Her alternate turned her attention back to the two Zeloses and gave them both a wicked smirk, her eyes sparkling mischievously. "So what have you two been up to? Scheming new ways to drive us crazy? Continuing on your never-ending quest to turn Mizuho into a luxurious resort town?"

Her husband released an exaggerated sigh and shook his head sadly. "Always assuming the worst of me, I tell ya." He pointed at her. "For the record, no, we _weren't_ scheming anything. I just asked him how Seles has been doing here."

The other Sheena's smirk faded, and she raised her eyebrows. "And?"

He grinned wryly. "Would you believe she's dating the exact same guy here that she is in our world? I had hoped she'd have more common sense than that, but nooooo, that guy had to woo her _here,_ too."

She rolled her eyes. "That 'guy,' as you like to call him, dear, has a name, and it's Chester."

"Having a name doesn't change anything," he muttered.

His wife gave him a pointed frown. "And let me guess, he doesn't like Chester any more than you do."

Both Zeloses pulled the same face of distaste. "Of course not," the short-haired one said. "It's not like we're two completely different people. That 'guy' isn't good enough for her, and that's that."

The long-haired Zelos nodded curtly. "I agree completely."

The other Sheena rolled her eyes. "Need I remind you that Seles thought the exact same thing about _me_ until she got to know me?" She turned her head toward Sheena. "Speaking of which, you two should be prepared to deal with Seles—you're gonna have a _lot_ of fun with _that_ one." Sheena didn't respond, but she could easily hear her alternate's sarcasm, and from the corner of her eye, she saw 'her' Zelos cringe.

"Hey, she eventually changed her mind about you!" the alternate Zelos said. "Now you two are good friends!" He tilted his head. "Granted, that didn't really happen until after you asked her to be your maid of honor at the Meltokio wedding, but it still happened! I can't thank you enough for that, love, by the way."

His wife smiled. "She really is a sweet girl once she finally comes to accept someone. And stops glaring daggers at them." She arched a pointed eyebrow at him. "Hopefully her brother will turn out to be the same with _her_ current boyfriend, because _I_ think he's a really nice guy and is good for her."

"Yeah, yeah," he grumbled, but without warning, his eyes suddenly lit up. "Oh, oh! But look what I got!" He grabbed the wall scroll off the couch and lifted it so they could see.

"I saw it earlier when we ran into Tiga." She smirked. "Pretty soon we're gonna need to find another wall for all those scrolls you keep accumulating."

He waggled his eyebrows. "We could always use—"

She growled lowly, folded her arms to her chest, and quickly cut him off, "We've been over this before, dear, and the answer is still _no_ , we are _not_ mounting them on the front of the house so you can show them off to everyone who visits us. They're staying in our bedroom, _out of the way_."

Naturally, the idiot responded to that by sticking out his bottom lip in a ridiculous pout. "Spoilsport."

Before his wife could retort to that, though, Sophia suddenly pointed at Sheena's hair. "Bibbon?"

Sheena's eyes widened as she looked down at the little girl. "Hm?"

"I think she likes your ribbon," her alternate said.

Sophia nodded curtly and bounced in Sheena's arms. "Bibbon!"

"Oh, you want to see it?" Sheena asked her. The little girl nodded, and Sheena carefully reached up with her free hand and pulled out the ribbon, letting her hair fall free. Sophia's eyes widened as Sheena held it up to her. This had always been a special ribbon for her, a beautiful, rich, red and gold color and made of particularly nice, soft, silky fabric. Orochi had given it to her as a wedding present, in colors and texture matching her wedding kimono. She had worn it every day since his death as a reminder of him and of the past she didn't want to relive. But now...now she wasn't sure about that anymore. Maybe it was time to let it go. Was it possible she was finally ready to take that step?

"Sometimes she's as tough as nails as her mother; other times she's a little girly girl who loves anything 'pretty,'" the alternate Zelos said softly, proudly, with pure, unbridled love shining in his eyes as he looked at them.

The girl's mother smiled and nodded. "Very true."

"So you like that, huh?" Sheena asked the girl.

Sophia nodded again, gingerly touching it. "Pwetty bibbon!"

And suddenly, with a single look at Zelos, who was still watching her with that amazed, loving smile on his face that she had grown very, very attached to, she knew what she wanted to do. After everything that had happened with 'her' Zelos and the alternate Zelos, and with everything she'd just learned from her alternate, this was appropriate. In a sense, it was a symbol of the new future she had awaiting her. She was ready to cut those ties to her past.

"How would you like to take it home with you?" Sheena asked, looking back down at Sophia, whose blue eyes widened with surprise and hopefulness.

"Oh, she has plenty of ribbons at home," her alternate said. "You don't have to do that."

"I know." But this one was different. There was no way she could have one like this because it was the only one of its kind, one that had never had a reason to exist in that alternate universe. "But she doesn't have any like this one, does she?"

The other 'her' shook her head. "No, none like that."

"Then if you like it, Sophia, it's yours," Sheena said, turning her attention back to the girl.

Sophia's eyes lit up. "Mine?"

Sheena's smile broadened at the beautiful excitement on her face. She was pretty sure she'd now fallen completely in love with this girl. "Yours."

"Sophia, what do you say?" the girl's mother prompted as Sophia took it from Sheena, looking at it in amazement.

Sophia bounced again. "Dank you!"

...It amazed Sheena how utterly happy that little gesture had made this girl. She chuckled, her heart melting. "You're welcome. Take care of it for me, okay?" The little girl nodded, still observing the ribbon, but then suddenly she started bouncing again, clearly growing antsy. "You want down?"

She nodded again, and so Sheena set her on her feet, reluctant to let her go. Immediately, she ran over to the long-haired Zelos and pointed at the bear. "Kuma-san? Pwease?"

Zelos gave her a big smile as he handed her the teddy bear. "Here you go, Sophia."

She beamed at him brightly—a look more powerful in conveying her happiness and gratitude than words would have been—and then she ran back over to Sheena, lifting both the bear and the ribbon. "Pwease?"

Sheena's eyes narrowed; she wasn't sure what the girl wanted, but she'd take a stab. "You...want the ribbon on the bear?" Sophia nodded decisively, and Sheena took them both from her, tying the ribbon into a pretty bow around the bear's neck. Once finished, she grinned and held it up to the girl. "Tada! Does that look good?"

Her heart melted yet again at the smile that lit Sophia's face as she nodded, took the bear back, and hugged it tightly. And suddenly Sheena knew her alternate had been right. Being a mother did come naturally to her, and it came as no surprise that she could already feel herself growing attached to this child. "Dank you!" Sophia said again.

"You're welcome," Sheena replied. And again, she caught Zelos's eye...and she blushed again at the look still on his face, at the softness and longing in his eyes and the loving smile he was giving her. And that answer, too, was suddenly plain as day: even if he had refused to say the words last night, he did still love her, even after all these years. And if she wasn't already in love with him—which, considering everything that had happened this past week, she had to admit wasn't real likely at that point—she would be very, very soon.

Sophia suddenly turned, teddy bear in her arms, and ran back over to her father, holding it up proudly. "Kuma-san has bibbon!"

The alternate Zelos grinned broadly, pushed himself away from the couch, knelt down in front of her, and took the bear from her, clearly as proud of her accessorizing accomplishment as she was. "Well, well! What a stylish little bear you've got there, kiddo!"

"He looks perfect, Sophia," Sheena's alternate said, heading across the room to join her family. The little girl nodded brightly and took the bear back from her father, hugging it. A moment later the girl's mother looked back at Sheena. "This teddy bear is basically her security blanket. She won't go anywhere without him. He's even helped us get her to sleep quite a few nights. So thank you for that, for humoring her and giving her that ribbon."

"It was my pleasure," Sheena replied. And it really was. It felt like a weight had been lifted from her, knowing that particular tie to her past had now been cut. The memories of Orochi and their brief, tragic life together would never go away, but she had finally found herself able to let go of the physical reminder of it. Besides, it had been worth it just to put that beautiful smile on Sophia's face. "It's the least I can do to make up to her for keeping her father from her for so long."

"And like I said, Sheena, it's okay," the alternate Zelos said. "I was able to help you guys out, and right now that was the most important thing."

Sheena's doppelganger smiled and nodded. "He's right. There was no harm done. Sophia probably would've had trouble sleeping without her father there—she does occasionally have nightmares when one of us is away for awhile—but thanks to Verius and Zelos's insistence that he stay with us, we weathered that storm quite nicely."

"I'm glad," Sheena replied.

"Anyway, what do you two say?" the other 'her' said to her family. "Are we just about ready to go home?

Sophia nodded excitedly, still clutching her bear, and Zelos smiled. "Ready when you are. Although I'm not sure how we're going to _get_ back..."

"Heh. That's easy." Sheena turned to the middle of the room. "Verius?"

Instantly, a flash of light came from the empty space in the living area, and when it vanished, there he was: the giant summon spirit who had once been her dear friend Corinne. Reaching into her pocket, Sheena wrapped her hand around the tiny figure that Zelos had given her, her heart warmed at not only seeing the new incarnation of her lost friend again, but of the new 'friend' figurine she'd been given, a reminder that she was never alone, by a man she might just have a future with. Against all odds, Verius had brought them together again, even when she had vehemently resisted, in an answer to her last-ditch, desperate wish for something different, something better. Words couldn't express her gratitude.

"Verius," she whispered.

He bowed his head to her. "Sheena."

"Ver-ver!" Sophia exclaimed, running over to Verius and throwing her tiny arms around his neck in as much of a hug as she could given their drastically different sizes.

"Hello again, Sophia," Verius replied, nuzzling his head against hers. Sheena could've sworn he was smiling.

The alternate Zelos shook his head, grinning at his wife. "Show her a tiny spider and she starts screaming and can't get away from it quickly enough. Show her a giant talking summon spirit fox and she can't hug it quickly enough."

"Oh, she was scared of him at first, but he quickly won her over," the other Sheena replied, smiling as she looked down at their daughter. "I think he enjoyed playing with her as much as she enjoyed playing with him."

Verius bowed his head—at least as much as he could considering the child still latched onto his neck. "That is true. I did."

"You know she's going to want a puppy now, right?" the girl's father said, folding his arms to his chest as he watched them.

Sheena's alternate gave him a pointed glare, mimicking his stance. " _I_ want a puppy, Zelos. You're currently the only hold out on that."

He tilted his head. "...Oh, right. I'll give it more thought."

Sophia suddenly released Verius and held up her teddy bear. "Look, Kuma-san!"

Verius smiled. "I see he has acquired a beautiful new ribbon since I last saw him. It suits him well, Sophia. Where did you get it?"

"Other Mommy." Sheena couldn't help smiling as Sophia pointed at her, her heart once again warmed by the happiness on the girl's face—and by the term she'd just used to refer to her.

The summon spirit turned his eyes to Sheena...and suddenly Sheena got the feeling that he knew exactly what she'd done by giving it to Sophia, saying she had made her decision and wouldn't let the past hold her back anymore. He was a summon spirit of the heart, after all, and it wouldn't surprise her if he could read her intent.

The words that followed reinforced her suspicion. "It was very kind of her to give you that, Sophia. I know that was a special ribbon to her. Take especially good care of it, all right?"

She nodded happily. "'Kay!"

"It's good to see you again, Verius," the girl's father said.

Verius bowed his head to him. "You as well, Chosen." His eyes turned to Zelos. "The same for you, Chosen of this world. I am very glad to see you here."

Zelos gave him a faint, surprisingly shy smile. "Good to see you, Verius. It's been awhile. And you have no idea how glad I am to _be_ here."

"Actually, Chosen, I do know," Verius replied.

"Heh," Zelos chuckled. "Yeah, I suppose you do. Thanks for seeing to it that I _did_ end up here, then."

"It was my pleasure." Verius looked around the room, his eyes finally settling on the alternate Zelos. "I take it everything has been resolved here and you are ready to return home?"

"Yeah, I think so," he replied. "At this point, I'm pretty sure I've now done everything I'm able to do here. The rest is up to them."

Verius looked at Sheena and smiled affectionately. "Yes, I believe you are right about that."

Sheena blushed at his knowing look, then she glanced at Zelos and smiled shyly, joining him by the couch. It was embarrassing to not be denying that, trying to maintain her 'tough girl' act and pretend she hadn't fallen for him, but he already knew perfectly well what they were talking about and so she wouldn't waste the effort on something that didn't matter anymore. And then, after a moment, she succumbed to yet another impulse and took his hand in hers—a move she could tell surprised not only Zelos, but everyone else there, too...not that she would back down from her decision to do so, and especially not when he smiled in amazement and squeezed her hand tenderly in return.

She cleared her throat and, blushing, looked back at Verius, needing to say this to him even if it was embarrassing. It wasn't like anyone there, other than Sophia, didn't already know what she was talking about. It had, after all, been _her_ wish tag that had led to all of this. "Verius, before you leave...thank you. I have to admit, at first I couldn't figure out why you answered my wish like this. I mean, I think we all know I hadn't had Zelos in mind when I made it. But now, after everything that's happened, after everything I've seen and learned..." she glanced again at Zelos, then back at Verius, "I mean it, Verius. Thank you for doing it this way."

Verius gave her another warm smile and bowed his head. "You are most welcome, Sheena. I am a summon spirit of the heart. I knew what was in yours, and I knew what was in the heart of this world's Chosen. As awkward and painful as these events have been for you, this seemed the best way to get you two to see what was truly in your hearts as well."

Another glance at Zelos showed that he was blushing, although she found it surprising—and telling—that he remained remarkably quiet. "Well, I for one really do appreciate it." She squeezed his hand, giving him a shy smile. "I'm guessing you do, too."

"You have no idea how much I do," he whispered, giving her a happy, appreciative, and similarly—yet atypically—shy smile that made her heart skip another beat.

"I know," Verius said. "Thank you for trusting me with this." He turned to the alternate Zelos. "And as for you, Chosen, I thank you for everything you accomplished here in such a short time. I had not expected you to take as many risks as you did to try to make this a real possibility for them, but I am deeply grateful that you did."

"Heh," he replied, rubbing the back of his neck. "Well, like I've told them, as much as I'd love to say it's a guarantee they're going to make it—and I truly hope they do—there isn't one. I mean, no one can see the future, and they experienced a lot of things my wife and I didn't, and there isn't even a guarantee for _us_ to last forever, as much as I wish there was. But I'm optimistic for them, and I expect if they really want to make it work, they will." He gave his wife a loving smile, one she quickly returned, doing as Sheena had and taking his hand in hers and giving it a squeeze. "We have."

Verius bowed his head. "No, you are correct, there are no guarantees. However, right now that does not matter. You gave Sheena a new outlook on life, a new path to follow, and, with it, hope for a new, better future, not only for herself, but for Mizuho. That was exactly what she needed, and it was exactly what she wished for. In that respect, her wish has been answered."

"Yeah, it has," Sheena said. "I've said this before, and I'll say it again: thank you, Zelos. For everything. We've both already agreed to do whatever we can to make this work." She glanced at 'her' Zelos, then back at his alternate. "We both want what you two have."

'Her' Zelos smiled and nodded before looking at Verius and the happy family. "I owe you guys a huge thank you, too, actually. My life was going nowhere fast, and I was _not_ happy with it, no matter how much I tried to convince myself I was. But now...I'm actually looking forward to seeing what happens next. Thank you." He turned his eyes back to Sheena. "And you, too, not only for making that wish, but for giving me another chance."

Sheena returned his smile shyly and gave him an affectionate nudge with her shoulder—which made their alternates smile knowingly. "Ah, remember when we were like that, sweetheart?" the other Zelos said, wrapping his arm around his wife and drawing her close.

She nodded and leaned into him, resting her hand on his chest and her head on his shoulder, her face alight with happiness. "Yeah, I do. Part of me envies them, getting to go through all of that from the beginning."

"Well, then, we'll just have to see if we can do something about reigniting that particular spark, eh?" The other Sheena looked up at him, her smile now breaking out in full, and Zelos kissed her cheek tenderly, his eyes soft. "Love you."

"Love you, too."

Without warning, Sophia hurried over to her parents, bear in hand, and lifted her arms, clearly detecting their love and affection and wanting in on the action. "Up?"

The girl's father chuckled, released his wife, and picked her up. "Of course, baby girl." He pressed a kiss to her cheek that made her giggle and then wrapped his other arm around the alternate Sheena again. "Love you, too, kiddo."

Sophia turned innocent yet expectant blue eyes to her mother—Sheena couldn't help noting that it looked identical to the pouting, puppy-dog look that Zelos had perfected when he wanted something, the one she was finding increasingly difficult to resist—and the alternate Sheena likewise chuckled and kissed her cheek. "Yes, sweetie, I love you, too. So, so much." Sophia giggled at that, then attempted to give them both a group hug. A moment later, though, the alternate Sheena pulled back a little and looked at Verius, who was watching them fondly. "Oh, and while I'm thinking of it, Verius, I have to thank you, too. It's been wonderful to see you again. I've really enjoyed your company this past week."

"You are welcome, Sheena," Verius replied. "It was delightful to spend time with such a dear friend again. My duties are demanding, but I will stop by and visit whenever I can."

The alternate Sheena lifted her hand to Sophia's face and brushed a stray lock of dark hair back behind her shoulder. "Sophia will love that."

The alternate Zelos sighed exaggeratedly. "Alas, in my attempt to be a good Samaritan and help, well, _us,_ I've now been replaced by a summon spirit. I should've expected this."

His wife laughed and rested her hand on his arm. "Trust me, Zelos, I wouldn't trade you for the world." His eyes snapped to hers and he gave her a chaste but sweet kiss, the look in his eyes so soft, loving, and adoring that Sheena could feel her own heart flutter at it. If she was lucky, maybe one day her Zelos would look at her the same way this Zelos looked at his wife.

"No, but seriously, Verius, thanks for taking such good care of them this past week," the alternate Zelos said, looking back at him.

"It was the least I could do for you in return for what you were doing for me here," Verius replied.

Sophia suddenly bounced in her father's arms. "Go home now?"

He chuckled and kissed her forehead. "Yes, my wiggly little butterfly, we're going home now."

Verius bowed his head in understanding. "Then I will return you to your world."

Before he could, though, the alternate Zelos looked across the room at Sheena and 'her' Zelos, his face and voice growing serious—and sincere. "Hey, good luck to you both."

"Thanks," Zelos said with a smile.

"Take care of yourselves and your children," Sheena said.

"We will," her alternate said. "I hope one day you two get to experience what we have."

"Us, too," Sheena replied, blushing as she cast another knowing, happy look at her Zelos.

He returned her smile, then his gaze snapped back at their alternates. "Stay in touch. Hopefully one day we can send you guys some good news."

"If there is ever a message you wish to send between worlds, I would be happy to do so for you," Verius said.

So did that mean he would try to show up more often here, too? That would be wonderful. She really had missed Corrine all these years, and while Verius wasn't exactly Corrine, he _was,_ too. He knew her as well as Corrine had—which was probably why his method of answering her wish had been so successful. He would never be Corrine again, but that was okay. Life moved on. Corrine would always live on in her heart. And thanks to the beautiful figurine Zelos had given her, she could see him whenever she wanted, too.

"Thanks, Verius," she said, pulling the figurine out of her pocket and grasping it tightly, reassured by its presence, before looking back at the happy family. "Maybe if we're lucky, we'll get to see you guys again one day, too."

"I hope so," the alternate Zelos said, but suddenly he gave them a pointed look, his eyebrows rising. "Just remember: you two are on your own now. I'm not gonna be here to chaperone you anymore. Keep in mind everything we've told you. And never forget that communication about _everything_ , no matter how small or insignificant, is _key_."

"Yes, it is," his wife agreed. "We can't emphasize that enough. Even when it's hard or awkward, do it anyway. It'll prevent a lot of problems."

Sheena nodded curtly. She'd heard that enough now from them both to know it must be as important as they said, and she wouldn't let herself forget it. "Communicate. Got it."

"Yep, got it," Zelos agreed. "We'll work on that."

"Good," the alternate Zelos said, grinning. "You two will be fine."

"Yeah, I think they will be," his wife said.

"Then let's go home." He looked down at the precious little girl still bouncing in his arms. "Sophia, can you say goodbye?"

Sophia waved at them with the hand not clutching her teddy bear. "Bye-bye!"

Sheena took one last good look at the girl as she and Zelos returned her wave, wanting to etch that beautiful image—and the hope and promise that accompanied it—within her permanently, and then they were gone, engulfed in a flash of light. As sad as she was to see them go, though, it was time. They had their own life to get back to, and now she and Zelos had their own new life to figure out. It wouldn't figure out itself, after all.

...And then it hit her. They were really gone. She and Zelos were now _alone_ , for the first time in a week; as the other Zelos had said, they were on their own now, with no one there to supervise them. Only they could make this relationship work. She was excited to see where this new path in life might lead her, but she was also nervous because there truly wasn't anyone there anymore to walk them through the misunderstandings they might still face. And that meant, if they wanted this 'thing' between them to last, then they had to be careful with it, treat it with the respect and consideration it deserved, and do it right.

To her side, Zelos suddenly cleared his throat, pulled his hand from hers—Sheena blushed, realizing she'd completely forgotten she'd still been holding it—and then rubbed his neck, giving her a sheepish smile that echoed the nervousness she, too, currently felt, uncertain as to what their next step was. "Well, that was...awkward," he said.

Sheena nodded. "Yeah, it was. This past week has felt like a...like a surreal dream."

"No kidding," he mumbled.

"Looking at yourself like that, _talking_ to yourself like that, someone the same and yet so different from you, having lived such a different life...it's a strange feeling."

He smiled faintly. "Now you know how I've felt ever since my alternate showed up here."

"Yeah, I guess so."

She hadn't realized until the other 'her' had arrived just how strange it must have been for Zelos to be holding conversations like that with, well, _himself_. But that was over and done with now, and it likely wouldn't be happening again anytime soon. At the moment, after all, she had no need to make another wish tag.

They fell silent for a moment, both lost in thought, with Zelos casting an occasional uncertain glance at her before looking back down at his hands. Every time he did, Sheena noted, his smile fell a little further. "What is it?" she finally asked.

His eyes lifted back to hers, once again reflecting definite—and alarming—guardedness. "So, uh," he began, his gaze falling from hers as he ran a thumb over his thigh, "now that they're gone and we won't have any more meddling, and with them went the one person you were trying to make happy by agreeing to give me a chance...you gonna change your mind about, y'know, us?"

Sheena's heart broke as his eyes met hers again. He truly was still fighting with his own demons and doubts, wasn't he? He wanted this, but he was afraid for it to actually happen. It was a feeling she knew well. And just like that, something his alternate had said to her not long ago floated back into her mind.

*~0~*

" _Zelos, can I come in?_ " she had asked, knocking lightly on the door frame to her bedroom. Hearing him utter a muffled response to the affirmative, she had tentatively stepped inside, immediately averting her eyes as she'd realized he had already started changing into the clothes his wife had brought him. " _S...sorry. I...I didn't mean to..._ "

" _Don't worry about it_ ," he'd quickly replied, grinning as he finished pulling his black shirt over his head and tossing it on her bed. " _You saw a lot more than this when I first showed up here_."

She'd blushed deeply, her eyes drifting back to his exposed chest, a flush warming her body at the reminder of how muscular and gorgeous the man was wearing no shirt, but then she cleared her throat and forced herself to look away. Even then, though, the memory of that rather attractive sight had remained with her until, from the corner of her eye, she'd seen him put on a new shirt. At that point she'd felt it safe to look at him again while he changed his pants, seeing as his lower body was safely hidden from her view behind her dresser.

Naturally, the idiot had smirked knowingly, clearly catching her lingering blush—and likely, knowing him and how well he knew her, the reason behind it. " _So what's up?_ "

" _Oh. I, ah..._ " Before she'd been able to gather her thoughts, though, she'd been distracted yet again as he'd stepped fully into her view and her eyes had fallen on his new attire. They were ninja clothes, primarily blue and black yet with a number of lighter accents to balance the darker colors, such as his trademark pink and white colors and even a trace of the light purple she always wore, all woven together in a way that gave it a unique yet appealing—and surprisingly appropriate for him—style. In fact, the outfit looked shockingly good on him. " _Wow. That really suits you. I didn't expect you'd look right in_ _ **anything**_ _ninja-esque, but obviously I was wrong_."

He'd grinned and lifted his arms, spinning around proudly to show off his outfit. " _I do look good, don't I? And the best part is these clothes are extremely comfortable and flexible. I have you to thank for that. Well,_ _ **my**_ _you, anyway, since my wife designed and made them for me. It's always weird now_ _ **not**_ _wearing these for any extended period of time_."

Sheena hadn't been able to resist staring at him a moment. Never had she imagined seeing Zelos wearing _ninja clothes_ , but at that moment she'd wanted to sear the image into her brain because, well, he truly did look good like that. A lot of love had obviously gone into making this for him. And the best part was that, if things worked out with her Zelos, she might one day be able to make him something like this, too. Heck, if this Zelos liked them so much, which his proud expression indicated he did, then maybe her Zelos would, too...a thought that had made her blush deepen.

" _Sheena?_ " he'd pressed, arching an eyebrow at her.

" _Oh, um, sorry_." She'd coughed, trying to cover over her distraction—and how red she'd known her face had to be at being caught staring at him like that. Zelos had chuckled, although the moment she'd shot him a dismayingly weak warning glare, he'd lifted his hands, telling her he wouldn't tease her about it.

But at that moment, she'd found her mind blanking about all the things she'd wanted to say to him before he left, and before she could remember any of them, he'd cleared his throat. " _So anyway, I heard your date last night went well_."

Fortunately, that had been one of the things on her list to talk to him about, so Sheena had gone with it. She'd nodded, a smile tugging on her lips as the memories of the previous night's events had come rushing back to her. They really had had a lovely time. Despite how hard it had been to tell 'her' Zelos everything she had, she'd been pleased that she'd been able to—and she'd been pleased by how he'd taken it. " _Yeah, it did. It went really well._ " But her smile had faded as that had brought her to something else she'd needed to talk to him about. " _I'm still a bit concerned about him, though_."

His eyes had narrowed. " _Why's that?_ "

" _Well, even this morning, he just seems so subdued_ ," she'd replied, folding her arms to her chest, her heart sinking. It had been bothering her all morning. She'd seen hints of the happy, flirty, over-the-top Zelos Wilder she was used to, but he still seemed dishearteningly cautious around her—and scared. Ever since then, it had been feeding her doubts. " _It's unnerving, actually. I'm not sure he's entirely happy about all of this yet_."

Zelos, though, had immediately waved that off. " _Oh, don't worry. He is. I talked to him last night after you went to bed, and he really is happy. But I do understand why he's not his normal, perky self yet, either_." His face had grown somber. " _No matter what you two might have talked about and ultimately decided to do, he's still afraid of waking up to realize this is just a fantasy and then, once he's realized it's not, of wrecking it. Trust me about that. He also still feels incredibly guilty over everything he did to you. And the fact of the matter is, he_ _ **will**_ _continue to feel like that for awhile. It took me months to come to terms with the fact that I had a second chance with you, and I sure as hell didn't want to mess it up. It added quite a bit of stress to my life for awhile, and sometimes I had trouble hiding my doubts about myself and our relationship from my Sheena_."

His face had softened a bit. " _Eventually, though, he'll realize you're serious about him and that you aren't going anywhere and he'll feel more comfortable around you. Don't forget, he's still learning how to operate with the walls down around someone else, let alone with someone he cares about as much as he does you. Being himself like this is new for him. It was hard for me to adjust, and it will be for him, too. Sometimes he'll be able to do it, and other times you might see him falter—not intentionally, but he will. There's nothing you can do to fix that except be patient with him while he works through all of this, be understanding of what he's going through, be there for him, don't hold the past or any relapses he might experience against him, and help him work through his self-esteem issues, because believe me, there are_ _ **plenty**_ _of those. But my Sheena was always there for me, and that encouraged me to keep trying. I have no doubt the same will happen for you so long as you make it clear to him you won't leave him. There's no one better capable of encouraging him like that than you, because I know you, Sheena: you understand guilt and what it can lead a person to say and do. Just trust me when I say any weird behavior you see from him isn't because he doesn't want you in his life. Give him time, give him your patience, and next you know, he'll be back to being his usual, obnoxious self, doing stupid things to make you smile and laugh and smack him_." His eyebrows had risen. " _Okay?_ "

Sheena had relaxed and given him a smile and nod. She really didn't have any reason to doubt him about that, did she? If anyone knew what Zelos was thinking, it would be an alternate version of himself. She just had to trust him and do as he'd instructed. " _Okay_."

Zelos had returned her smile. " _Like I said, this is new for him, lowering his walls and being his real self with you. Keep poking at him, and eventually the rest of his walls will come crumbling down, and next he knows, acting like his real self will come naturally to him. Who knows? One day you might even see him get flustered when he's around other people and suddenly doesn't remember how to be the Idiot Chosen anymore_."

She had to admit, that made sense. In fact, she could relate since she sometimes struggled to be her real self around others, too. " _I guess in some ways I'm the same. I never let anyone see behind my walls, either; I always try to project an image of control and strength to everyone around me. I kept him at a distance for a long time, never acknowledging or admitting my own feelings for him, not just to him, but to myself. And you're right, it isn't easy letting down those defenses and accepting the truth behind them_."

" _You've come a long way already, Sheena_ ," he'd replied. " _I was impressed. Only a few days ago you had trouble admitting you once had a crush on me. Now you're involved in a relationship with him in a way I don't think you ever thought possible. And that's because you realized what you wanted and what you had to do to get it, and you_ _ **did**_ _it—you forced yourself to overcome your pride and your inhibitions and lower your walls, not just with me, but with him_."

She had, hadn't she? She supposed that was huge progress for her. But that definitely hadn't happened overnight. That had taken an awful lot of soul searching, not to mention observations of this man to see who he _really_ was, and then to correlate those realizations with 'her' Zelos Wilder. " _Believe me, it was hard. I didn't want to do it, reexamine my life and my preconceived notions and realize I'd made a mistake. My_ _ **pride**_ _didn't want me to do that. But I kept thinking about what you said, that unless I took a chance, nothing would ever change, and I knew if that happened, Mizuho would suffer for it...and so would I. And the bottom line is that I want what you and your wife have, Zelos: the love, the companionship, the friendship...your amazing, beautiful daughter. Once I realized that, it made me more willing to take the chances and sacrifices necessary to get it_."

His smile had broadened as he motioned at the main room. " _And in the process you're drastically improving the life of someone else along with your own_."

Glancing in the indicated direction, Sheena had seen 'her' Zelos around the corner, talking to her alternate and the precious little girl who was now holding up a teddy bear toward him. The amazement and hope in his eyes as he looked down at her warmed her heart, making her feel giddy. " _He deserves happiness, too_."

" _Make sure you tell him that, because right now I doubt he thinks so_ ," Zelos had replied, giving her a pointed look. " _But that, too, will eventually change so long as you keep reminding him that he's not the waste of space he thinks he is. It worked for me; there's no feeling more powerful than knowing I'm truly valued and loved and that you trust me and see the good in me even when I don't see it in myself."_ Without warning, though, his face had grown somber. _"Just don't be surprised if, before he reaches that point, he tries to run again. He doesn't want to, he doesn't mean to, but that doesn't mean the demons haunting him won't occasionally get the better of him. I can't emphasize this enough, though:_ _ **don't let him run away again**_ _. Do whatever it takes to keep him coming back to you. Make sure he knows you won't let him go without a fight and that it would hurt you if he left, and eventually he'll stop. And that applies to you, too: don't run when you mess something up—because you will. Running away truly doesn't solve anything. Issues don't just magically go away because you're physically apart; you need to work through them, together, if you want this to last. My wife and I have both found that. We know it, we still run anyway sometimes, and every time we do, no good comes from it, and we always tell ourselves the next time it'll be different. And sometimes it is; it's taking time, but we are getting better about it. Dealing with issues head-on before they get too bad really is the best approach. We may not be pros at it yet, but we refuse to stop trying_."

" _That goes back to that 'communicate' directive you gave us earlier, doesn't it?_ " Sheena had said, giving him a small smile.

He'd grinned. " _Exactly. You may fail a couple hundred_ _times, but you_ _ **will**_ _eventually get where you want to be. And if there's one thing I know about you, Sheena, it's that you're stubborn and persistent, which can be a danger and a weakness, but it can also be a blessing and a strength if used right. It could push you two apart, or it could bring you two closer together. Use it wisely_."

She couldn't deny his assessment of her. She'd always known it, even if she'd done her best not to acknowledge it. But regardless, it was good to have someone who knew her as well as he did point that out to her. In a way it made it more real and, therefore, something she had to pay closer attention to. She'd swallowed and nodded. " _I'll try_."

Zelos had observed her a moment, his face softening. " _You guys will be fine. Believe in yourselves. Look how far you've already come, and you're just getting started. It may be a bit awkward now between you two—because it sure was for us at first, making that switch from friends to lovers—but you'll eventually get used to it, and then next you know, the world around you will look that much brighter_."

Sheena had felt herself tearing up. Hearing him express such certainty and faith in her, in _them,_ was amazing and inspiring. And suddenly she hadn't wanted him to leave. She knew she couldn't stop him, she knew she _shouldn't_ stop him, but she was going to miss him terribly—something she never would have believed possible only a week ago. It made her all the more eager to help her Zelos find this man buried within him and lure him out, because Jizou knew how much she wanted him with her all the time. But that would clearly take time and patience, and so for the moment she had done all she could: she'd walked over to him, thrown her arms around him, and hugged him to her tightly.

He'd briefly stiffened, surprised by her sudden action, but even her embarrassment couldn't convince her to release him, and a moment later his arms had wrapped around her in return. " _Hey, what's this now?_ "

" _Zelos, thank you_ ," she'd murmured, burying her face against his chest.

His voice had dropped to a whisper. " _Sheena..._ "

But she hadn't let him finished. She'd needed to say this first. " _Thank you so much. For everything. I'm sorry for taking you away from your family for so long, but...thank you for agreeing to it. Thank you for helping me see the truth that's always been there in my heart. Thank you for helping me rediscover myself, who I really am and what I really want. Thank you for pushing me to see the real you and making it impossible for me to deny it any longer. Thank you for not giving up on me, on us. Thank you for all of your advice and encouragement. Thank you for...for wanting us to find the same happiness you and your wife have. No one has ever done anything like that for me, and you didn't have to do any of it, but you did it anyway, and...thank you_."

" _Heh_." She'd felt his arms tighten around her. " _You're welcome, Sheena. I know you weren't happy about some of the choices I made, like getting him involved in this at all, and I don't blame you for that. But you trusted me enough to see it through, and I thank you for that. I really do want you two to find what we have. I may not be able to guarantee that's what's in your future, but my gut is telling me you_ _ **will**_ _make this work. We did, despite the odds, and so can you two_."

Sheena had pulled away, brushed the tears from her eyes, took a deep breath, and gave him the warmest, most sincerely happy and hopeful smile she could. " _I believe you_."

Zelos had returned her smile just as warmly and hopefully, then he'd pressed a quick kiss to her cheek. " _Now c'mon, let's get back out there before our significant others start questioning what we're up to in here_."

*~0~*

"...you gonna change your mind about, y'know, us?"

" _Don't let him run away again,"_ the other Zelos had instructed her.

And so Sheena did what she had to do to prevent that from happening: she gave Zelos a warm smile, curled her fingers around the nape of his neck, drew his unresisting head down to hers, closed her eyes, and kissed him, as sweetly, meaningfully, and sincerely as she could, hoping and praying that he could feel her hope and resolve and bliss at kissing him and caught her meaning: that she would fight for him, for _them_ , tooth and nail, so they could achieve the future they both wanted. And when she finally pulled back, releasing him to make his decision about whether to keep running or to stay and fight for that future with her, she could see the kiss had had the intended effect, reflected in the amazement and renewed hope in his eyes as he looked at her.

"Does that answer your question?" she whispered, arching an eyebrow at him, her lips tugging upward in a smile.

And slowly, beautifully, enchantingly, a smile crept onto his lips, his eyes and voice softening. "Yeah. That's pretty clear."

Sheena let her smile broaden for a moment, blushing as they continued watching each other, but then she gave him a pointed look. She needed him to know this. "Look, I appreciate what you're doing by asking me that, Zelos, but you don't have to keep trying to give me 'outs' to this, these opportunities to change my mind. I'm not going anywhere. Really. I've made my decision, and I'm sticking with it. Like I said, I want what they have, and this is the only chance we have to get it: by _trying_ , by not giving up and running away when something may feel awkward because of its newness or because it doesn't come as easily or as naturally to us as we'd like. And that means you're stuck with me now. Okay?"

Thankfully, his smile, which had faded when she'd given him that look, quickly returned—and he truly seemed to mean it. "Okay. Thanks." The smile turned into a smirk. "Have I mentioned yet how much I love seeing you so confident and self-assured like this? It's so different from how indecisive you used to be. In fact, it's a gigantic turn-on, actually."

...Naturally, now that she'd directly addressed—and hopefully alleviated—that concern, he was going to start acting stupid, just as his alternate had predicted. And the thing was, if Zelos's goal in making comments like that really was to get her to smile and laugh, then it worked, because Sheena couldn't help laughing shyly, her gaze falling to his Cruxis crystal. "I've learned a lot this past week about love, forgiveness, trust, hope, and keeping an open mind when it comes to how little I really do know about other people, how little I know about about myself...and how little I about you and the man you really are. And you know where all that knowledge has led me?"

"Where?"

"Straight to this very moment with you, Zelos. Only to you." She lifted her eyes to his and held his amazed gaze. "Yes, I'm sure about this, about us."

That time he was the one who, without any warning, pulled her to him and kissed her, sending delicious warmth and tingles of excitement through her body, and then he hugged her to him tightly. She closed her eyes, her hands gripping his arms, feeling his heart beating faster beneath her own, proof that he was just as excited and hopeful about this as she was—and that hopefully she had now dispelled some of his doubts, too. Maybe not all of them yet, but getting rid of even a few was the best—and the only—place to start.

"Thank you, Sheena," he whispered to her. "Thank you."

As she pulled back so she could see him, the love and gratitude brightening his oft-guarded blue eyes, she knew the truth: she loved him, this idiotic, perverted, frustrating, haunted, beautiful, incredible man. She might not be ready to say those words aloud yet, because it was still way too soon to do so and because she didn't want him to feel pressured to declare his own feelings for her yet when this was just as new for him as it was for her, but deep in her heart she knew she did. She had no doubts or regrets about that. And the thing was, it felt good. It felt _amazing_ , actually, loving a man who she knew either did already or soon would love her back. Sheena suddenly wanted to hold onto this moment, to this incredible _feeling,_ as long as she could. And for another long moment, the two just observed each other, both smiling softly yet excitedly. Sheena could feel herself blushing, but she really didn't care, and instead she made a point not to look away from him. If it would help him feel more comfortable with her, then she would do it, even if it was awkward for her. And she had no doubt that, in time, she would get used to it; right now it was just so new that it would take time to adjust to it.

Without warning, though, Zelos suddenly smirked in a way reminiscent of the old Zelos she'd always known. "Don't smack me for this, but you have to admit...we really do make cute kids together."

...Yep, and there was yet another dumb comment. She gave him a mild glare, which only resulted in his smirk broadening, but surprising even herself, she didn't smack him for it. In fact, a huge part of her was actually relieved to hear him cracking another joke since it meant he truly was starting to relax with her. Besides, now that she could see his stupid act for what it really was, she decided she would give him what he wanted.

Sheena laughed shyly and lifted her hand to his chest, tracing the edge of his Cruxis crystal with her finger. "That little girl really was beautiful, wasn't she?"

"Yeah, she was," he replied, his smirk softening. "She was the most precious little girl I've ever seen. Maybe one day she could be ours."

"I hope so." Oh, did she hope so, with a longing that stunned even her.

Zelos reached up and gently grabbed her hand where it still lingered on his chest. "You were good with her," he murmured. "That was nice of you to give her your ribbon." The smirk returned. "And it's an added bonus for me because I've always loved seeing you with your hair down like this."

Instantly, her blush returned. She couldn't help it, especially given the softness in his eyes as he looked at her. It still astounded her that he liked any part of her looks beyond her chest, but she wouldn't argue that anymore. After all, arguing pointless things had caused them too many problems already. She chuckled softly and looked down at their joined hands. "Heh. Honestly, it was time to let that thing go anyway."

A glance upward showed that his eyes had narrowed. "What do you mean?"

Normally Sheena wouldn't dream of telling anyone this because, well, it was simply no one else's business, but their alternates had just instructed them to communicate with each other, even about the smallest of details like this, and so she would. Besides, this _was,_ in a sense, his business too now that they were a 'couple.' "Orochi gave me that ribbon for our wedding. I've worn it every day since his death, as a reminder of him and everything that happened with him and as a warning not to make the same mistakes again." Her eyes lifted back to his. "But I refuse to let mementos like that tie me to the past anymore. I'm ready to move into the future, not keep looking behind me. This was the perfect opportunity to let that go. They don't need to know what it meant to me, Sophia has a new accessory for her bear, and I'll never have to be weighted down by it again." She nodded curtly to herself. "It was time. And it felt...it felt really good."

Zelos didn't immediately reply; instead he just watched her, his eyes and smile so soft and loving that she knew what he was thinking even without him voicing it aloud: _Good for you_. And after a moment, he cleared his throat. "So, Sophia, huh?"

"It's a pretty name," Sheena said. "Your alternate said the other 'me' chose her name, and yet it isn't one I'd ever considered giving my child before." To her surprise, Zelos let out a soft, almost incredulous laugh and looked away from her, and her eyes narrowed. "What? What do you know that I don't?"

His gaze snapped back to hers, and he nodded, thankfully choosing to answer that. "Sophia was...it was my grandmother's name." ...Wait, really? Her eyes widened. She'd had no idea. "I never knew her since she died before I was born, but I've heard plenty of stories about her, and...well, she still touched my life in many ways. Some of her friends, the Pericheks, looked out for me when I was growing up—they're the ones responsible for keeping me from becoming as bitter and cynical as my father was. Anyway, my grandmother hated being the Chosen as much as I did and wanted to be rid of the title, for her own sake and for her family's sake, and...well, it inspired me to start looking for ways to do away with it for good, some of which were obviously better than others."

Sheena's heart melted. Oh, Zelos. It suddenly made sense why she'd picked that name for their daughter: because it had special meaning for him and his family, especially now that he—and every child born in his family from that point on—was free from those obligations he'd hated so much. "I wish I could've met her. Someday I want to hear more about her."

He shrugged. "The Pericheks could tell you more than I can since they were good friends most of her life. Maybe someday I can introduce you to them."

She smiled. "I'd like that."

They both fell silent again—ever since last night, they'd been regularly running into these awkward quiet moments, probably, Sheena figured, because they were both still trying to find their feet with this new relationship—until suddenly Zelos cleared his throat and looked around the living room. "So this is your place, huh?"

The realization hit her. "Oh, right, you've never been here before, have you?"

Zelos shook his head, his face growing somber. "No, but that's my fault."

Uh uh, there was no way she was letting him believe he alone was responsible for that. She'd said this before, and she would keep saying it until he got the message: they were both responsible for what had happened. "And mine, seeing as I never invited you here after the villagers gave me this place, even before...well, you know." He eyed her a moment but then nodded. "Whatever the case, it doesn't matter anymore, so how 'bout I show you around now?"

Thankfully, his smile quickly returned. "Sounds good."

Good. No further arguments from him. "And while I'm at it, I might as well show you around Mizuho, too. Things have changed quite a bit since you were last here."

He nodded, but his head sank downward, his face falling along with it. "Yeah, I heard about how many of your people died here because of that poisoning."

Her throat tightened. Even after all these years, any mention of that horrible day still had the power to make her want to break down crying and cursing fate for what it had done to her village. "It was...it was pretty bad. Still is, actually. Mizuho is nearly a ghost town now. I doubt you'll recognize it anymore. We're...we're really hurting."

Zelos watched her carefully a moment, his eyes soft and empathetic, but then he cleared his throat. "Sheena, if you and your people need help, tell me. There has to be something I can do. I should've been here for you then already, but—"

"—But the past is the past, and this is now," Sheena cut him off. She didn't want him to feel guilty about that, not when nothing they did now could change what had happened. What he did from this point forward said far more about him than looking back and wondering what might have been because those had been unusual circumstances. "And yes, we could really use your help. The other 'you' helped us out quite a bit this past week, but there's still a lot left we need to do if we hope to make it through the winter without having to leave for good."

"Name it," he said, his blue eyes radiating surprising intensity. "If I don't know how to do something, I'll learn."

Oh, Jizou. Sheena swallowed hard, tearing up at that. She was trying very hard not to let those tears fall, but that still didn't stop her from asking, with more hopefulness than she wanted to feel until she was certain she wasn't just imagining this, "Really?"

Zelos gave her a faint, sad, but undeniably sincere smile. "Really. It's the least I can do for you for not being here when it happened...for cutting myself off when you needed a friend most. Whatever you need, Sheena, say the word and I'll do it: chopping firewood, planting crops, buying supplies...I'll do anything. Hell, I'll even donate my entire estate to it, if it'll help. And even if this relationship goes nowhere, I'll _still_ help. Your village is important to you, and I can't sit back and do nothing, not if there's something I _could_ be doing instead."

And there, finally, was the last piece of her wish: someone to help Mizuho. While she would never ask him to donate the entire Chosen's estate to helping the village recover, and while he had yet to prove himself capable of following through on his promises, ultimately he _had_ already proven himself through the actions of his alternate, who had shown this past week how devoted to Mizuho he was capable of being. If his alternate had made this village his home and loved it dearly, then so could this man. For as differently as their lives had played out, they truly _were_ the same man; if the other Zelos could be exactly what she'd needed, then so could this one. She had to have faith in this version of him, give him a chance to prove himself, and let him help her. And so she would.

Once again she felt herself on the verge of bursting into happy, relieved tears, but still not comfortable doing that in front of this 'him' yet, she instead succumbed to her other impulse: she threw herself at him and hugged him to her again tightly, hoping that could convey the depths of her relief and gratitude. It was still a strange feeling to be letting herself accept another's help, because her pride was still convinced she could do it all on her own, but the reality was that she _couldn't_ handle everything in Mizuho by herself, and so rejecting his offer when she needed it most, just to save face, would be stupid. Besides, Tiga would never forgive her for turning away their best chance at survival; he had, after all, made it clear he was counting on her to find a suitable spouse to help them rebuild Mizuho. Maybe he'd be more open to letting her bring Lloyd and the others in again, too, now that an 'outsider' knew the truth about this place, even if it meant admitting how badly she'd lied to them about what had happened here. And really, who was better equipped to help them than Zelos, a powerful, influential, more-than-capable man?

"Thank you," she murmured against his chest, her heart soaring as he wrapped his arms around her in return.

She could feel his lips tug upward in a smile where they were pressed against her forehead. When she finally pulled back, she was amazed and encouraged by the look of love and longing on his face. "Don't be afraid to ask for help, Sheena, okay? No matter what it is you need. I _want_ to help you."

"I won't."

And she meant that. Whatever it took, she would suppress her pride if it meant helping Mizuho. She had started doing so already when she'd made that wish tag, seeking outside help in fixing her problems—although she hadn't expected anyone would ever find out about that. This past week, though, had proven that sacrifices often had to be made to achieve change, and it had proven she was capable of doing so without incurring lasting negative repercussions. She couldn't say for certain her pride would never get in the way again, but she now knew how to overcome it, and she knew she could do it. It had worked now, and it would work again then. She would make sure of that.

Clearing her throat, she motioned at her living room. "Anyway, how 'bout I show you around here first, then I'll introduce you to the remaining villagers? I've already asked Tiga to make sure there won't be any more threats against your life."

Zelos chuckled. "Well, I'm glad to hear _that_. I'd really rather not die now that things have finally started looking up for me."

Oh, good, so he really _was_ looking forward to the future now, even if guilt and uncertainty still lingered within him, wasn't he? Sheena was going to do everything she could to help that optimism become stronger than those negative emotions still holding him back. "You won't. I promise. And then, once we've done that, it should be just about time for lunch, so...maybe you'd like to stay? I'd be happy to make whatever you'd like."

His eyebrows rose, a hopeful smile appearing on his lips. "You have any nice spots near Mizuho where we could have a picnic?"

Sheena returned his smile. She liked that idea. "I think I can come up with something." And then, just because she could, and just because she wanted to, and just because she was so grateful to him, to his alternate, to Verius, and to everyone else who had helped her take this massive, important, at times painful step forward into this next promising, hopeful phase in her life, she kissed him again, and then again, and then again, safe in the knowledge that while they still had a lot of work left to do, for the first time in a very long time everything truly was going to be okay again.

0~*~0


	10. Epilogue: The Soulmate

**Epilogue: The Soulmate**

The warmth that encompassed her as she lay in her bed was blissful. In fact, it was so blissful that she _should_ currently be sound asleep, dreaming peaceful, happy dreams, but for some reason she hadn't figured out yet, she was still wide awake. Not that she was complaining; it was nice to just lay there in the quiet stillness of the night, revel in this delicious warmth, and contemplate her life, where she'd been, and where she was yet to go. She hadn't come to any conclusions or earth-shattering revelations yet, but that was okay; no conclusions or revelations were currently necessary, because for once, everything in her life was on a good course, moving toward a future that held tremendous promise and hope.

Well, okay, so there was a single place on her body that was not currently engulfed in warmth: a tiny spot on her stomach where cool metal was pressed against her skin. She would gladly accept that cold amidst the warmth, though, since it was caused by the ring adorning the finger of the man whose arm was currently draped around her, holding her to him tightly—a ring he'd worn ever since she'd given it to him a few short weeks ago, one that matched the ring she wore on her own finger. The light puffs of air from his breathing were even against the back of her neck, indicating he was asleep even if she wasn't, and the heat of his skin pressed against her bare back was delectable.

The past year and a half since that day she'd made her wish had been crazy, filled with good times and bad, with struggles and successes, with frustration and love, but together they had made it through, and now here they were, married, living in Mizuho, and happy in a way Sheena hadn't thought possible. Everything had changed since that morning she'd awoken to find herself in this exact same position, only with a different Zelos's arms around her. It was so much better, so much happier, so much more hopeful. Her outlook on life and the future was optimistic. Mizuho was still struggling to survive, but it was also steadily improving. It would take years, decades, maybe even longer than she had time to give it, to regain its former glory, but at least it had finally begun moving in the right direction again. And the man peacefully asleep beside her was the cause of much of its rejuvenation and the hope she now embraced. He had proven himself, his goodness, his dedication, and his worth a thousand times over since that day, and now no words were capable of expressing her awe and gratitude for everything he had done for her.

But the memory of the long-concluded events that had set her on the path leading to this moment, a memory she hadn't thought about in ages, stirred something within her, a sense of uneasiness, misgiving, and foreboding...and it was only then that she realized she had forgotten to do something critical, a realization that brought with it a jolt to her gut. And yet, she quickly reminded herself, they had made it this far without misfortune befalling them; a few more hours wouldn't hurt anything, would it? She doubted it. She tried to push the thought from her mind, telling herself she would deal with it first thing in the morning, but now that she'd remembered it, it was nagging at her. She tried to think of a hundred other things—of their plans for the next day, of their beautiful wedding day, of all the things she had yet to do in Mizuho—but her mind kept drifting back to that single one. And the more she tried to push it away, the more awake she became. It soon became apparent that if she didn't take the time to deal with it _right_ _now_ , she would never get any sleep at all. Besides, she told herself, every minute she wasted lying in bed, trying to convince herself it wasn't a problem, was another minute she was taking the risk that her failure to follow through on her end of the bargain would jinx her, jinx _them_ , and jinx Mizuho's progress toward recovery. And that...well, that simply wasn't an option.

No, this couldn't wait. She refused to take any chances with this life and the precious happiness she and Zelos had, against all odds, found together.

With a reluctant sigh, Sheena carefully extracted herself from her husband's warm, strong, loving arms and slipped out of bed. Casting a look back at him to make sure she hadn't woken him, she briefly admired his moonlit face, a rush of warmth and love sweeping over her that manifested itself in a smile. Forcing her gaze away from him for fear she'd just cave to the urge to rejoin him in bed if she didn't, she quietly began searching for her clothes strewn across the floor—he had been rather feisty last night...she couldn't help blushing and smiling again at that pleasurable memory—and then slipped them on.

A sudden soft moan from behind her stopped her in her tracks, and she quickly looked back at him, finding he was now peering at her through barely cracked eyes. "Mm...Sheena?"

"Shh...it's okay," she said. "I'm here."

His eyes slowly, sleepily opened further, trying to focus on her face, his brows narrowing. "What're you doin'?"

Sheena smiled and bent down to kiss his cheek. "Nothing you need to worry about. Go back to sleep. I'll come back to bed in a bit."

She gently stroked his hair, waiting until his eyes slid shut again before she resumed putting on her shirt. By the time she'd finished and had turned back toward him, though, she found that his eyes were open and he was watching her again, more awake than he had been a minute ago. "Where are you going?"

Well, there truly was no need to lie about this. "Out, just for a few minutes."

Locating her robe, she slipped it on, hearing the bed sheets rustle behind her as he turned toward the window. "It's the middle of the night...you're going out _now_?"

"Yeah."

He turned back toward her and lifted the sheet invitingly, his voice taking on a faint whining tone. "Come back to bed."

She shook her head. "There's something I have to do first, and then I will. I promise." There, that took care of her shirt and robe; now to find her pants...

"Right _now_?" he countered as she spotted them and crossed the room to retrieve them. "Whatever it is, you have to do it _right_ _now_?"

She chuckled, stepping into her pants and pulling them on. "Zelos, go back to sleep," she said, looking back at him. "I'll be back soon. Really."

He blinked at her. "Sheena...?"

She sighed at his persistence but then shrugged. Well, if he was already awake and was waking up even further with every passing moment, then there was no reason not to at least extend the invitation to him. She wouldn't mind the company, and it wasn't like there was a rule saying she had to be alone when she did this. In a sense, he was actually as involved with this as she was. And suddenly Sheena found herself hoping he would accept her offer. "Or if you _really_ want to know what I'm doing, you can always come with me, assuming you're willing to get up."

Zelos released an exaggerated sigh and good-naturedly grumbled something about his 'crazy wife' and her 'weird nocturnal habits,' but then, to Sheena's surprise and pleasure, next she knew he was crawling out of bed, retrieving his clothes from the floor, and putting them on. While he was doing that, she headed out into the main room, grabbed the item she needed for this, and then started putting on her boots. Only a minute later he was joining her, yawning, stretching, and rubbing the sleep from his eyes.

"So tell me, where exactly are we going?" he asked.

"To the river."

He knelt down and began putting on his shoes, looking up at her and arching an eyebrow. "And you're _sure_ this can't wait until morning?"

Well, it probably _could,_ but she would really rather not. It was already several weeks too late to be doing this, and they were lucky nothing bad had happened to them in the meantime. "Positive." The second he'd finished putting on his shoes, Sheena pushed open the door, and then they were walking outside, where they were greeted by a mild yet beautiful night. The sky was clear, the moon was full, the stars were sparkling, the bugs were chirping, a gentle breeze was stirring the wind chimes and creating a haunting melody...it really was a lovely night for a walk. Sure, it was still the middle of the night, with dawn nowhere near ready to break, but the moon was so bright that they soon found they didn't even need a torch to light their way. Besides, the river wasn't too deep within the forest, and so if it turned out to be too dark there, Zelos could always grab a branch and ignite it with a fireball to give them light.

"So what's at the river?" he suddenly asked, yawning again.

Sheena smiled as she glanced at him. He really was curious, wasn't he? He had to be if she'd managed to convince him to get out of bed with surprisingly little arm-twisting or pleading. "You'll see in a minute."

"This better be good," he muttered, but he didn't question her further, which told her he really didn't care that she hadn't told him yet. He liked a bit of mystery and trusted her implicitly; he had proven that to her time and again this past year and a half.

They covered the rest of the distance to the river in silence, with Zelos walking beside her, his hand firmly grabbing her arm to steady her the one time she tripped on a tree root. The sound of the river rushing toward its faraway destination grew steadily closer, and then there they were, standing on the riverbank above the gurgling water. Reaching into her pocket, Sheena pulled out the wooden item she'd grabbed earlier from its spot on the shrine in their living area and held it up to him...and instantly his eyes widened. She was pretty sure he had never seen this before—or if he had since he'd moved in with her, he hadn't given it any thought—but he clearly recognized what it was: the wish tag that had set a sometimes turbulent and frustrating yet ultimately beautiful and successful chain of events into motion that had led them both to this very moment.

"Once the wish has come true, this needs to be broken and set adrift in the river or it'll bring the wish-maker misfortune," she explained. "As it is, we're lucky it hasn't done so already...I mean, we have been married three weeks now. That's why I needed to do this now. I just completely forgot about it until tonight. Now, though..."

Sheena took a deep breath, gave him a soft, happy smile, and made to break it, but before she could, Zelos grabbed her hand, stopping her. "Before you do that, would you mind if I read it first?"

She could feel herself blush, although he likely couldn't see it in the faint moonlight streaming through the leaves—and damn, did he look gorgeous in this lighting...she would have to drag him out here more often when there was a full moon, maybe to lay on the grass and watch the stars, or maybe just to go for a walk...but right now that was neither here nor there. All things considered, she really had no reason not to comply with his request, and so she handed it to him and watched as he squinted, trying to make out the letters. It took him a minute to read the message, far longer than it had taken the alternate Zelos since he wasn't fluent with the Mizuhoan language yet and because, well, this lighting really was poor, but she could tell when he reached the end since he looked up at her, his eyes soft and loving, pulled her to him, and pressed a kiss to the top of her head.

" _Please, Jizou, help me_ ," it read _. "I'm scared for my people and our future. Please send me someone who can help us all. I want to be happy for once. I want to look forward to the future instead of dreading waking up each morning. Help me find a companion, someone who loves me and loves Mizuho and who I can actually love in return. I'm lonely, Jizou...I don't want to be alone anymore. Please, grant me my wish_."

"I love you, Ayame," he whispered in her ear, his warm breath against her neck sending a shiver down her spine. "So, so much."

Her smile broadened as she melted into his embrace. "I love you too, Zelos."

For a long moment they just stood like that, holding each other, relishing in the moment of sincerity, happiness, and contentment—all things Sheena had been experiencing regularly ever since she'd made this wish tag—until finally Zelos pulled back, nuzzled her nose with his, and then, smiling, pressed a tender kiss to her lips that she gratefully accepted, giving him another quick kiss in return when that one didn't last long enough for her liking. And then finally they pulled apart and he handed her the wish tag, their eyes lowering to observe it with reverence. Grasping it firmly in both hands, Sheena knelt beside the river, Zelos standing a few paces behind her, and broke it in half, then set both halves adrift in the river—the final necessary step in the wish tag's life cycle.

Only once it was out of sight did she stand up again and turn back to him, relieved to have that taken care of now and to know it would never threaten them again. "Okay, _now_ we can go back home," she said.

Zelos nodded, slipped his arm around her, drew her close, and then started guiding her back to Mizuho. They'd only taken a few steps, though, when a sudden flash of brilliant light appeared behind them, stopping them. They turned toward it...only to find, as it vanished, that Verius was now there, hovering above the river, in the same spot where Sheena had found him that morning after she'd made her wish, watching them with a smile on his face, his body glowing softly and illuminating the dark night.

"Verius!" both she and Zelos said simultaneously.

The summon spirit bowed his head to them. "Sheena, Chosen One Zelos. It is very good to see you both again."

Sheena's smile quickly reappeared as she bowed her head in return. "It's good to see you too, Verius."

"Yeah, definitely," Zelos said, but Sheena could feel his body unexpectedly stiffen. "I just don't think we _expected_ to see you here. Which begs the question, what _are_ you doing here? Is something wrong? Is there some hidden stipulation with Sheena's wish and now you have to undo everything that's happened since then?"

Fortunately, Verius shook his head. "I assure you that everything is fine, and I would never dream of threatening the hard-earned results of Sheena's wish. Rather, I thought this would be a good opportunity to express my congratulations to the newlyweds on their marriage."

Zelos instantly relaxed, and Sheena did the same. She hadn't even realized she'd been just as nervous as he had about Verius's intent in unexpected appearance to them now. "Thank you, Verius. We're..." She looked at Zelos and smiled. "We're happy."

He nodded, mirroring her smile. "Yeah, we are. Very much so."

"I am aware of that, and I am extremely happy for you both," Verius replied. "I also wished to extend the congratulations of your counterparts from the alternate world. I informed them of your wedding, and they asked me to tell you that they were likewise excited for you and wish you a future full of love and happiness."

Ah, so they knew, huh? They hadn't heard from their alternates since they'd returned to their universe last year...but then, that was probably because Verius hadn't appeared here since then either. She was glad to hear he'd passed the word along; she expected the alternate Zelos especially must be pleased to hear that all his hard work here had paid off. "So you've seen them?" she asked.

"I have. I must admit to being rather attached to Sophia, and I drop by regularly to see her."

Zelos grinned, but his eyes softened—likely at the reminder of that precious little dark-haired girl. "Heh. Hard not to be. _I'm_ attached to her, and I haven't even seen her in over a year."

Sheena agreed completely; Sophia's face was one she would never forget. She still thought about and pictured her often, actually. "So how are they doing?"

"They are doing very well," Verius replied. "The Sheena of that world gave birth to a baby boy a week after they returned home. All in the family are happy and healthy."

"So she was right: it really was a boy," Zelos said, grinning sappily.

Verius bowed his head. "She was. They named him Alexos Wilder."

Oh, Jizou. Sheena's heart melted, and she expected she was grinning just as sappily as her husband was. "That's so exciting for them," she said. "Next time you see them, would you extend our belated congratulations?"

"I would be delighted to do so," he said with another smile.

"Thanks," Zelos said. "We appreciate it."

The summon spirit lifted his head, his smile fading. "Unfortunately, I cannot stay here long for I have other duties to which I must attend. However, rest assured that I will visit you again whenever I can, and that I am always with you in your heart, Sheena, watching over you and hoping for the best for you. The same holds true for you, Chosen. I have a particular interest in making sure your future is always a bright one."

Knowing that Corrine was always with her, not only in the tiny figurine that Zelos had given her that she still kept with her at all times, but in her heart in the form of this magnificent, benevolent summon spirit before her, was a comfort and a relief. She smiled warmly. "Thank you again, Verius. For everything you did for me, for us both. We wouldn't be standing here right now if it weren't for you."

His face softened, so much fondness and affection in his eyes that it made her wish he wasn't standing atop a river so she could run over to him and hug him as Sophia once had. "I am truly glad I could provide you the help you needed, Sheena. May the fates continue to look kindly on you both."

And with that he was gone, vanished back into whatever realm it was where summon spirits went to whenever they weren't visible in this world. It took Sheena a moment to realize that she was still beaming happily, and that beside her, Zelos was still smiling sappily, too.

"A little boy...I'm happy for them," she murmured.

"Me, too," he said. A second later, though, his eyes snapped to hers and he waggled his eyebrows, his smile transforming into a smirk. "But when we have kids, I want a beautiful little girl like Sophia."

She snorted. Yeah, no surprise there. "Hate to break this to you, dear, but you might have to wait awhile for that yet. I mean, we _have_ only been married a few weeks now."

Zelos batted his eyes at her and gave her a perfectly innocent look, one Sheena had long since learned never to trust, as they began walking back toward Mizuho. "So? Just because we've only been married a little while doesn't mean we can't get started now. I mean, we both know Mizuho needs more people, and how else are we going to rebuild our numbers other than having lots of kids?" He shrugged, the smirk reappearing. "Hey, I'm more than happy to get started doing my part!"

...And that was why she knew better than to trust that look. She folded her arms to her chest and gave him an unamused look. Of course he'd say that; _he_ wasn't the one who had to be pregnant for nine months at a time to _have_ those kids! "Y'know, Mizuho doesn't expect us to single-handedly repopulate the entire village. There are a few other couples who've started thinking about having children, too, now that things are a bit more stable."

"Well, no, maybe not, but I still think it wouldn't hurt to get started!" he countered with far too much enthusiasm. "Besides, we're a few years behind our counterparts. For all we know, they're already working on Baby #3! If we want to catch up to them, we have to get started!"

Sheena rolled her eyes but couldn't keep the smile off her lips. "This isn't a contest, dear."

"For _you_ , maybe." He grinned wickedly. "But I can't wait to be surrounded by an entire household full of beautiful women!"

"The other 'me' was right: that really _does_ sound creepy coming from you," she muttered, but she had to force herself to bite back a laughter at his over-the-top stupidity, and no amount of effort, she discovered, could rein in her smile. And, well, it wasn't like his stupid thought hadn't already crossed her mind...just a little less stupidly than it apparently had in his. "However, while I'm not quite ready to turn this thing in yet," she lifted her wrist, around which hung the bracelet with the protective charm she'd been given that served as birth control, "and start working on making a baby, I'm...well, let's just say I'm not necessarily opposed to _practicing_ for when we _are_ ready."

Zelos took a step away from her, his eyebrows rising and his lips quirking upward. "Yeah?"

She gave him an innocent smile. That was one of many things their alternates had been right about: she really did like sex...at least with him. Every time they made love, it was always so much better than it had been with Orochi, so much more passionate, more pleasurable, more intimate, more all-encompassing, more meaningful, more... _fun_. It didn't even compare. She loved this idiotic man, she was definitely attracted to this idiotic man, and he went so far out of his way to make sure she enjoyed it that she knew he'd ruined her for life and no other man would ever come close to giving her what she experienced with him. Granted, she had yet to _tell_ him that because she knew she'd just be inviting trouble, but...well, he didn't tease her mercilessly when it came to such things anymore, so what could it hurt to do so know?

"Well, I _do_ quite enjoy 'practicing' with you..." she said, lifting her hands to his arms and trailing her fingers down his biceps.

Delight lit his eyes. "Oho, do you, now?"

Lifting herself up on her toes, Sheena gave him a quick kiss, and then she gave him what she hoped was a sultry, enticing, inviting, seductive smile—she hadn't had much experience with that side of her yet, but it _felt_ right, and the way his smile broadened told her it was working. "Of course, that's assuming you aren't still _dying_ to go back to bed..."

"Are you _kidding_?" he countered, his expression relaying how crazy he thought she was. "With the thoughts you're putting in my mind, woman, I wouldn't be able to sleep right now even if I wanted to. And believe me, right now I definitely _don't_ want to."

"Yeah, that's what I thought." She bit lip and shifted one hand from his arm to his chest, trailing her fingers around his Cruxis crystal—a spot she'd learned was especially sensitive and good at turning him on—amazed even at herself for how forward and playful she was being. The man always had been able to bring out the most unusual, unexpected sides to her. She lifted her eyes back to his...but was surprised to find that his expression had softened and sobered into a serious, intense one that told her something was on his mind. Her eyes narrowed. "...What is it?"

Lifting his hand, he gently stroked her cheek. "Sheena, you know how much I love you, right? That I didn't marry you because of the sex, no matter how incredible it is?"

Sheena swallowed hard, her throat tightening and her heart melting. Oh, yeah, she knew. If sex was all he'd wanted, he wouldn't have had to stay with her at all, let alone _marry_ her, to get that; after all, he'd had no lack of women willing to give him that before they'd started dating—women far more exciting and experienced and adventuresome than she would probably ever be. "I know. If that had been your reason, we never would've gotten married. And you know how much I love you too, right? That that's not why I married you, either?"

He smirked. "Wait, are you saying it _wasn't_ because I was so drop dead sexy and gorgeous?"

She snorted. Such a typical Zelos comment, even though she knew he wasn't serious about that. She'd learned long ago to tell the difference between when he was being completely honest with her and when he was joking. "Nice try, but no...although I'd be dumb not to enjoy that particular aspect, too. No, I know why you married me, Zelos." His eyes narrowed curiously, prompting her to go on, and so she did. "You married me because we make each other happy, because I'm your best friend and your soulmate." She wasn't surprised to see his eyes widen, but before he could respond, she went on, wanting to say this before he could interrupt her, "I know that because you're mine, too."

And just like that, his face grew oh-so-happy—and shy, too. She suspected he was blushing a little, although she couldn't tell for sure in this dim light. "Heh. Y'know, that doesn't sound like something you would ever say. I mean, don't get me wrong, you're _right_ , but it just...sounds more like something _I_ would say than you. You do tend to get annoyed when I get sappy with you like that."

Yeah, she supposed she did. She was no different than her alternate in that way. But hearing about their alternates again tonight had reminded her of what that other 'her' had said about Zelos being her soulmate, and tonight, looking at him, she'd known she was right about that...it was something she had _always_ known, if she was being honest with herself. They had always been tied together in an inexplicable yet unshakeable way, even when they'd been at their worst, and that was something that she knew, that she trusted, would never change. She wondered for a moment if that other 'her' had ever told her husband about what the fortuneteller in Triet had said, about how Zelos was just as much her soulmate as she was his. She hoped she had, but she would likely never know for certain and so it didn't pay to dwell on it. What she _did_ know was that she could tell _this_ Zelos how she felt about him, about how grateful she was for him and how excited she was about their future together, and so, awkward and uncharacteristic for her to do so or not, she would.

She smiled. "You know why that sounds more like something you would say than me? It's because you _did_ say it."

The look he gave her made it obvious he had no idea what she was talking about. "...Have I been talking in my sleep? Because I really don't remember saying anything like that..."

Sheena shook her head, cutting him off. "No, not _you_. The _other_ you. That's one of the things he said while he was here. It's one of the things _my_ alternate said while she was here, too. And I agree with them. I love you, Zelos. I'm happy with you. And I can't imagine my life without you anymore. I don't _want_ to live my life without you anymore." She lifted her eyes to his. "You _are_ my soulmate, and the best friend I could ever ask for."

The look in his eye, the same awe and amazement and adoration she saw every time they made love, made her heart pound faster and her body yearn for him. And then he hugged her to him, holding her tightly, as if he was afraid to let her go for fear of losing everything they had found together. "I love you, too, Ayame...my soulmate."

And for a moment she just stood there, smiling, safe in his arms, returning the love and acceptance she knew he needed just as much as she did. But she'd started something earlier, too, before they'd ventured off on this tangent, and she fully intended to see it through. "Of course, soulmate or not, the sex really _is_ that good," she murmured, once again infusing her words with a sultry tone as she pulled back enough to see his face.

Zelos tilted his head, considering that, a tiny smile likewise reappearing on his lips. "Well, yeah, that is very, very true."

Sheena lifted her fingers to his chest, trailing them along his impressive muscles. "And like I was saying, if we do plan on one day having a baby...well, I can't help thinking we could use a little more practice."

His lips curled even further upward, a wicked light beginning to glow in his eyes. "Sweetheart, I _always_ think we could use more practice."

Yeah, she knew he did. And fortunately, her shift back to their original topic seemed to be working, based on the fire and hunger now burning in his gaze. She did her best to return that look. "And, well, I'm awake, and you're awake..."

He nodded, still watching her intensely, his hands sliding down to her hips and holding her close to him. "Both very good points..."

"And I'm game, and you're obviously game..."

"You have no idea how much," he murmured, leaning a little closer to her, his voice growing husky, sending tingles of fire and desire settling in the pit of her stomach. "So...what do you suggest we do about it? Play a board game?"

It took every ounce of strength she had not to burst out laughing. That, too, was so typically, endearingly Zelos, cracking jokes at even the most inappropriate of times. She lifted her eyes back to his, refusing to succumb to the shift in mood. "I had another game in mind, actually."

"Oh?" he asked, a single red eyebrow rising, although his voice grew huskier and his eyes darkened further. "Does it involve a board? Or game pieces?"

Their lips, Sheena noted, were mere inches apart now, and her body was feeling very, very hot, despite the cool night air around them. "Nope. No boards or game pieces necessary."

"Is that so?" he murmured. "Care to give me a hint?"

Giving him a wicked smile, she casually trailed her finger to the dead center of his chest and poked him, her eyes lifting back to his. "Tag. You're it." She immediately took a step backward and arched a challenging eyebrow at him, now grinning in full. "Good luck trying to catch me."

And with that—and with a giggle she was unable to restrain in time—she ran further into the woods. Once she was a safe distance away, still not hearing him follow her, she stopped and turned back to him, finding that he was staring at her not only in amazement, but with definite desire in his eyes, too, that told him he wouldn't be wasting much time before he came running after her. Sheena had no doubt that the thrill of the chase would turn him on—and not only that, but it would turn _her_ on, too. Thanks to their natural, undeniable chemistry, it never took much, but that didn't mean this wouldn't help set the mood. Giving him one last grin, she darted off further into the woods, staying close enough to Mizuho and its night torches to have enough light that she didn't trip or accidentally fall into the river, yet far enough away that she wouldn't wake the villagers, and that time she could hear the unmistakable sound of his footsteps crunching in the leaves and brush as he followed her, swift as the wind.

He was her best friend, her lover, her partner, her companion, her husband, her soulmate, and the future father of her children. She wouldn't trade him, wouldn't trade _this_ , for anything. She might not have found it if she hadn't been looking, if she hadn't opened herself to the possibility by overcoming her pride and making that wish tag, if she hadn't made every effort she had to fix the broken mirror that laid shattered between them. But in a moment of desperate weakness and then of firm resolution, she had, and now...well, now if life continued in the direction in which they were currently heading, if they didn't do anything that threatened to shatter the new mirror they had created, one that might not look like it had years ago, one that might not look like the mirror their counterparts had created in that alternate universe, but one that was solely theirs and that looked exactly like they wanted, made even stronger and more beautiful and special by the cracked glass they'd taken the time and effort to painstakingly reassemble, then she should never have to worry about losing all of this happiness and hope and fun and excitement ever again.

And really, what more could a girl wish for?

~Fin~


End file.
